The Hazzard Redemption
by NorthernStar
Summary: Bo and Luke are caught on a 'shine run and are sent to the notorious City of Atlanta jail. This is the untold story of how the Duke boys ended up on probation. NOW COMPLETE!
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own 'em.

Rating: 12A

Summary: Bo and Luke are caught on a moonshine run. This is the untold story of how Bo and Luke ended up on probation.

Notes: Bo is 18, Luke is 23. Yes, that's a big gap but these ages are taken from comments in a couple of episodes. (Ask if you'd like this clarified as I won't go into a lengthy explanation unless you'd like me too.) Since there's no clue as to Daisy's age, only the vague sense that she older than Bo, but younger than Luke, I've put her in the middle so she's 21.

**The Hazzard Redemption**

By NorthernStar

Jesse Duke woke before the cockerel crowed and wandered the old house. Every corner of the old farmhouse, every creaky floorboard held memories for him. The worn spot on the easy chair was where Lavinia would sew, her nimble fingers creating pretty dresses for Daisy and turning up Luke's old jeans to fit Bo. The hearth rug was where Luke had taken his first steps, falling into his fathers arms with huge grin on his face. The table still bore the dent from Bo's head.

Jesse remembered all these as he walked the darkened rooms. The house was so quiet, so bereft of life.

With a heavy heart, Jesse went to the sink and opened the cupboard underneath. He took out a bottle of clear liquid and held it up.

"**_That, there, is a quart of Jesse's finest. But it ain't just 'shine. Ya'll are lookin' at over two hundred years of Duke history. Jesse's family have been making that moonshine for next to seven generations. It means everythin' to the Dukes."_**

Jesse unscrewed the shine and tipped the bottle upside-down over the sink. The drink glugged and sloshed down the drain.

"**_But ya know, some things are worth more. Like family." _**

Jesse put down the empty bottle and sat down at the kitchen table. He sighed.

It was over.

---

"**_Now it was June when it happened. Bo ain't long had his 18th birthday and Jesse'd been lettin' him drive Luke's car on 'shine runs. This was in the days afore the General and Luke's car…Well, let's just say, it weren't the General…"_**

Bo Duke looked over his shoulder for the twentieth time, his heart racing far faster than Luke's midnight blue Ford ever could. He'd been at the wheel during chases before, but that was always with Roscoe and on home territory. This was Chickasaw county. And they had a crate of shine hidden in a special compartment in the back.

He cast a worried glance at his cousin. "Luke?"

"I'm thinkin'"

The police car was rapidly gaining on them, sirens screaming loudly. Bo bit down on his lip and pressed down harder with his foot. The pedal was already to the floor and the old car could give no more.

Bo wrenched the steering wheel and the car slewed around a dirt corner. "Luke?"

His older cousin snapped his fingers. "Cross Creak Road."

"I ain't sure about that, Luke."

"Just do it!" He ordered. "Take a right."

"Luke, there ain't no road!"

"_Traveller_ can handle it."

Bo twisted the wheel again and sent the car off road, bumping and tossing over the rough dirt and zig-zagging wildly through the trees. The steering suddenly felt like lead under Bo's hands and he struggled to keep the car straight and going where he wanted it to go.

Luke shot a worried look at his cousin, realising the boy was having trouble holding the car steady. He'd only been driving off the farm for a few months, but he'd got so good, so quickly, it was easy to forget his relative inexperience. "Bo!"

The car bumped hard over the dirt, wheels skidding on the loose soil.

Luke twisted in his seat, looking back at the police cars, which had been slowed considerably by Bo's erratic and unexpected right turn. "You can make it, Bo!"

Cross Creak Road wasn't that far and once there, Luke could toss out the 'shine into the muddy waters and they'd only been facing a speeding fine if they were caught.

The Ford hit a large rock and the steering wheel was wrenched from Bo's hands. He gasped in surprise.

Luke spun back, looking forward just in time to see a tree in their path. "Bo!"

But his warning was drowned out by the crunch of metal against wood and they were both thrown forward.

Then everything went black.

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Notes 2: _Traveller_ was the real General Lee's horse and was the original choice for the name of the Duke's car.

PS – Let me know how I'm doing with the Dukes speak, I'm a Brit!


	2. Chapter 2

--2--

"**_Now back in them days, Jesse would spend as much time up in the hills surroundin' Hazzard as he would ploughin' the fields with Maudine the mule. An' like he had almost ev'ry day since his own pa showed him how to make Duke 'shine, he was up at the still site runnin' off a mash just as Traveller was a-fixing to run into that tree."_**

Jesse pushed another batch of dry wood under the still, watching as the fire burned stronger. He looked up at the dark sky and was satisfied that the deadwood wasn't making much smoke. Agent Andy Roach was a good, honest man and he was also a cunning revenuer. He was the latest in a long line of revenuers that had been after the Dukes since long before Bo and Luke were born. He had caught many of Jesse's less cautious neighbours after following their smoke trails straight to their stills.

When the still was running smoothly, Jesse got up and went to his pick-up. Daisy had packed him a small basket of fried chicken in case he got hungry, or held up.

The CB crackled to life just as Jesse was reaching for his snacks.

"Bo Peep to Sheppard?"

Jesse frowned at the CB. Even through the static and distortion, he could hear real anxiety in Daisy's voice.

"Bo Peep to Sheppard?" She repeated, "Uncle Jesse, you got ya ears on?"

Jesse reached in and took the CB in his hand. "This is Sheppard."

"Oh, Uncle Jesse, you gotta get back here right away!"

"Are you all right?"

"Agent Roach is here."

A clench of fear twisted Jesse's gut. His big toe had been hurting since he'd sent the boys off on the 'shine run that evening. He'd tried to ignore it. "Bo an' Luke?"

But it wasn't Daisy who answered him.

"Jesse?" Another voice, just as familiar to him as Daisy's was. Roach.

Jesse closed his eyes as he pressed the CB to speak. "Andy?"

"The boys have been arrested, Jesse." He told him. "You'd best come on back to the house. I got more ta tell ya."

---

"**_While Jesse broke any number of speedin' laws gettin' back to the house, Bo 'n' Luke were bein' doctored at Tri-County General. An' don't ya'll go frettin' about them boys; they got themselves more lives than a cat."_**

Luke remembered very little about the trip to hospital. There was noise all around him, but he couldn't seem to concentrate on the individual voices making up the din. He felt vaguely sick and there was a nagging sensation of worry in his chest, although he didn't know what of. He might have struggled to remember but he didn't really want to do anything more than sleep and he drifted in and out, until finally there was a fading into white and peace and just as he fell into sleep, he remembered Bo.

---

Agent Andy Roach was sitting out on the porch as Jesse drew up in his pick-up. Andy was a slim man in his fifties, with a greying moustache and thinning hair. He was kind and always ready to help his neighbours, even those he suspected were moonshiners. Jesse respected him a great deal and even counted the man among his many friends.

Andy was sipping some of Daisy's lemonade as he waited. He had a serious expression on his face. Daisy sat on steps near him, looking as worried as Jesse felt.

Jesse got out his truck and made his way over to Roach.

He went straight to the point. "You arrested ma boys?"

Andy stood up. "I caught them with 'shine, Jesse." There was no satisfaction in Andy's voice even though the man had been chasing the Dukes for years.

Jesse nodded. "I understand."

"I'm not sure you do, Jesse." Andy told him. "This is serious, now. We're talkin' prison for them boys."

Jesse looked down. "Ya said there was more."

Andy nodded. "You best sit down."

That phrase worried him. "I think you'd best be tellin' me standin' if it's important."

Andy looked around at Daisy, then back at Jesse. "The boys are in the hospital."

Daisy gasped.

"What!" Jesse thundered. "You been a-wastin' my time with this-"

"They're fine." Andy assured him, waving Jesse down. "I woulda told ya to go straight to them if they weren't. Bo's a little bruised and Luke was knocked unconscious, but they're all right."

Jesse sighed, relieved. "Now I know we's been friends fer years, an' I believe ya, but…I'll be wantin' ta see that for myself."

"I'll drive you over." Andy said. "But Jesse, those boys are under arrest now. They won't be comin' home."

---

Bo sat on the bed in the emergency room and tried to stay calm. He wasn't hurt, at least not beyond the ache between his eyes where he'd hit the steering wheel with his head. The patch between his brows and most of his forehead felt sore and he guessed he'd be sporting black eyes for the next few days. A doctor had come by and told him that, although Luke's concussion was severe, it wasn't life-threatening and he was going to be just fine in a day or two.

He hoped they let him see Luke before they took him away.

To jail. Not Juvi hall, he was 18 now.

He was going to go to jail.

Bo had been frightened before in his life, but he didn't really understand true terror until now. There wasn't going to be any lucky reprieve, no verbal warning. This was a serious offence.

He and Luke were in real, real trouble.

Footsteps tapped on the stark linoleum floor of the hospital and stopped behind Bo. He turned to see a tall, heavy set deputy.

"Beauregard Duke?" He said.

Bo swallowed nervously. "Yes, sir."

"The doctor's just released you. You have to come with me, son."

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Notes: Agent Andy Roach was referred to in "High Octane"

Thanks for all the reviews!


	3. Chapter 3

**--3--**

Deputy Simon Claybourne looked at the scared kid sitting on the exam table. The boy stared back at him with frightened eyes peeping out from beneath a mop of blond curls. His own son wasn't much younger than this boy and the thought of him in this kids place froze his heart.

"Can't ya'll let me see my cousin first?" He asked.

The deputy shook his head. "I got ma orders, son."

Simon wouldn't have thought it was possible for the kid to look any more scared than he already was. He was wrong.

"Orders?"

"I gotta take ya'll in to the Chickasaw county jail fer tonight." He told him, "and tomorrow…well, you an' ya cousin were resistin' arrest. Judge'll prob'ly be wantin' to put ya in City of Atlanta jail until the trial."

"**_I don't know 'bout ya'll, but I got me a lump in my throat the size a Georgia."_**

Bo hid his face and Simon sighed. He really didn't want a howler in the back of his car all the way in to Chickasaw. But the boy didn't cry. He just sat there a while, head down, thinking it over, looking far too young to be in the kind of trouble he was in.

He raised his head after a moment. "Please?" The boy's voice wavered. "I gotta see Luke. He weren't movin' after the crash."

Simon offered him a smile. "The doc said he's gonna be fine." He assured him. "He'll be outta here in a coupla days."

Bo looked down at his feet, hanging limply over the gurney's side. "It's my fault we crashed."

Claybourne sighed. There was nothing he could say to that. He hadn't been involved in the pursuit of the Duke boys or their arrest. So he did the only thing he could and relented. "Five minutes. No more. An' if the doc says ya can't, I don't wanna hear no arguments."

Bo raised his head. "Yes, sir."

---

A nurse ushered Bo and the deputy into a small room only a stones throw away from where Bo had been treated. Another deputy was in the room, sitting in a plastic chair under the window, reading a well worn magazine.

Luke was in the bed, tucked under stiff hospital sheets. His lips were parted slightly and Bo could hear the familiar soft in-and-out of Luke's breathing when he was deeply asleep.

"He's sleeping. It's not uncommon after a concussion." The nurse said with a smile. "We're waking him every few hours to check on him, but there's nothing to worry about."

Bo looked at Simon nervously and the deputy backed away a little, giving him at least the illusion of privacy.

He leaned over his cousin. "Luke?"

The young man in the bed didn't move, even when Bo took his hand in his own.

"I'm sorry, Luke."

His cousin shifted in his sleep but didn't waken.

"I tried to swing _Traveller_ 'round the tree, honest I did." He swallowed. "I just-" The words caught in his throat. "It's all my fault."

Luke's fingers twitched around Bo's.

"Luke?"

Nothing.

Claybourne looked at his watch. "Come on now, son."

Bo opened his mouth to object but caught the warning in Deputy Claybourne's eyes and nodded. "Yes, sir." He said quietly.

The deputy led Bo out, head bowed.

As the door shut behind them, Luke's eyes flickered open.

"Bo?"

But there was no-one there.

---

"**_Jesse was getting' into Tri-county a whole lot faster than most of the ambulances. Daisy had shucked 'n' jived an' sweet-talked her way into driving Andy's car, and let me tell you, that gal can drive."_**

Andy Roach winced as his car's suspension clunked under the stress of barrelling down the country roads at speeds it was never designed for. He closed his eyes and wished his stomach would stop churning in protest at being tossed about like a piece of flotsam in a stormy sea.

Daisy glanced in the rear view mirror and gave Andy a wide grin. "Ya'll holdin' on back there?"

Roach groaned again. He heard Jesse chuckle.

Jesse's fingers were clutching at his own seat, but he was obviously used to his kin's driving and didn't look as green as Andy felt.

It wasn't long before they were on county roads of smooth tarmac and the ride became more pleasant. Daisy was forced to slow her pace on the busier roads or be caught for speeding.

They finally approached the Tri-County Hospital. As they drove up, Daisy could see a Chickasaw County police car parked on the curb in front. A deputy was leading a blond boy in cuffs towards it.

"Uncle Jesse!" She gasped and stepped up the speed.

Her uncle had already seen. "Bo!"

They both watched helpless as the deputy loaded Bo in the back and shut the door. He walked around and got in the drivers seat.

Daisy haphazardly parked Andy's car behind the police car just as it began to drive away. Jesse jumped out and started running after it, "Bo!"

But the car carried on.

Jesse slowed to a stop and watched as his nephew was taken away. He saw the blond head turn in the seat and Bo looked right at him. Jesse would remember the look on the boy's face until the day he died.

Then the car turned a corner and Bo was gone.

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I know Luke doesn't appear in this chapter much, but I haven't forgotten about him. Thanks for the reviews everyone!


	4. Chapter 4

**---4---**

Daisy went to her uncle's side, took his arm and laid her head on his shoulder. "Oh, Uncle Jesse."

Andy came up behind them, lighting a cigarette. "I'm sorry, Jesse. I had no idea they'd be movin' the boys so soon."

Jesse didn't answer him and remained staring down the road for a long moment. He patted Daisy's arm. "We'll see Bo real soon." He promised. Then he sighed. "Come on, Luke weren't with 'em so lets see if we can find him."

---

Luke was awake and half sitting up in bed when Jesse and Daisy walked in. A doctor was leaning over him and shining a light into his eyes. He turned to the door and grinned at his cousin and uncle.

Daisy hugged him. "We was so worried about ya'll."

"I'm fine." Luke said. "Have ya seen Bo?"

Daisy looked at her uncle. Jesse nodded. He didn't want to worry Luke and it wasn't lying. They had _seen_ Bo.

"Is he all right?"

"He's fine." Andy said, stepping further into the room.

Luke frowned. "Mr Roach?"

"Andy was the one who was chasing you, Luke." Jesse told him.

"I'm sorry how that turned out." Andy said. "Never meant for you boys to get hurt."

Luke shook his head. "The accident was my fault. I shouldn'ta told Bo to turn off the road. _Traveller_ weren't up to it, and Bo ain't never driven through trees before."

"It ain't anyone's fault." Jesse's voice was firm. "What's done's done. I just thank the good Lord you both weren't hurt bad."

Roach nodded. "Amen to that." Then he sighed and looked at Luke. "Luke, you know I have a job to do, don't ya?"

Luke nodded. Jesse had brought all three of them up to respect the revenuers just like they'd respect anyone else.

"We're under arrest, ain't we?"

"Bo's already in custody. Ya'll be followin' as soon as the doc lets ya go."

Luke sat up. "Bo's in jail?"

"They'll be keepin' him at the Chickasaw county jail fer now."

Luke tossed the sheets back and swung his legs over the side of the bed. "Well you can take me along now too." He said, struggling to get up.

Jesse waved him down. "I'm as worried 'bout Bo as you are, but yous in that bed fer a reason."

"I feel fine, Uncle Jesse." Luke insisted, even as his legs buckled under him. Andy caught him before he hit the floor.

"Now you get back in that bed, Luke Duke, 'fore I whup ya!" Jesse snapped. "Bo'll be fine. He's a Duke an' us Dukes has got grits."

"But Jesse-"

"No buts, now git!"

"Yes, sir." Andy helped Luke get settled and Daisy carefully tucked the covers over him.

A nurse came in and went to the window. "Visitin' time is over, sir." She said to Jesse as she drew the curtains. "Ya'll have to come back tomorrow."

They said their goodbyes and Luke watched them go.

The room was deathly quiet now he was alone, except for his guard, and the deputy didn't look like much of a talker, even if Luke had of wanted too.

He sighed and lay down in the hospital bed. It wouldn't feel right sleeping with Bo's gentle snores in his ear.

"**_Friends, this ain't just a man missin' his kin. Ya'll are witnessin' the first time the Duke boys are sleepin' under different roofs, since Luke came back from the Marines."_**

---

It was dark outside the hospital, stars bright in the clear sky. Jesse took a deep breath and let out the frustration and worry he'd been feeling since he'd heard Agent Roach's voice on the CB. "What's happenin' to ma family?"

Daisy hugged him. "It'll be OK, Uncle Jesse." She tried to sound certain. "We can get 'em out on bail first thing t'morrow."

Roach shook his head. "Judge'll set it high, Jesse, more'n ya can afford." He warned him.

"I wouldn't count on that." Daisy's voice was angry.

"I'm talkin' thousands here, Daisy."

"Now why in tarnation would anyone be puttin' a price like that on those two boys?"

"Cos they're ya kin, Jesse." Roach took out another cigarette and lit it. "Ya know, even b'fore I got posted ta Hazzard, I'd heard about you Dukes. Ya'll are the best, an' us revenuers, we's all agreed on that. Now the good ol' US of A government, they never got their hands on ya, but now they got ya boys…" He exhaled a long line of smoke. "Sin of the father, like ma pa used to say…"

Jesse looked down.

"Time's is changin', Jesse." His voice was tired, even old. "Runnin' shine…it ain't like it used to be."

"'Shine kept ma family in clothes an' shoes for as long as I can remember." Jesse said. "I raised them younguns up like ma daddy raised me. Ain't never done me no harm."

"Til now."

"**_Andy sure has a mean tongue sometimes, now don't he?" _**

"Tell me straight, Andy, are ma boys goin' to jail?"

"Yes." Andy took another draw on his cigarette. "It's a first offence, 'cepting for a few misdemeanours as minors, and those is spent, Jesse, so the judge won't take 'em into account, but the name Duke ain't gonna do them no favours. We've been after ya family for years."

Jesse chuckled. "That ya have."

"I'll do my best for them, I can promise ya that. I'll call ma buddy over at the Public Defenders office, have 'em put Davies on the boys case. Sammy's the best they got. But it might not be enough to keep 'em outta prison."

---

"**_By this time, it were too late to see Bo so Jesse and Daisy headed on back to Hazzard with hearts a whole lot heavier than Boss Hogg after eatin' time. An' while Luke was a-starin' at the walls of the hospital, Bo was doin' the same with four around him. Only his had bars." _**

Bo sat in the tiny cell, knees drawn up to his chest, arms hugging them. He was looking at the small window that looked out onto the pavement outside the building. The jail was larger than the one in Hazzard and had more deputy's than Boss would ever pay for in a life-time.

On the cot beside him was a tray of food, untouched and steadily growing cold.

Claybourne came up to the bars and nodded at the tray. "Ain't ya'll hungry, son?"

"No, sir."

He unlocked the cell and fetched the uneaten food. He looked down at Bo. "Ya'll wanna play checkers? I've me a feelin' its gonna be a long night."

Bo shook his head.

"Suit yerself." Claybourne locked the door again, shaking his head.

Bo continued to stare at the small patch of outside he could see.

Claybourne walked off. At the door, the night deputy stopped him. Claybourne went over to where the man was sitting at the watchman's desk.

"He goin' to the City jail?" He asked Claybourne.

"Uh-huh."

"They're gonna eat that boy alive in there."

---

"**_As soon as the sun was up, Jesse an' Daisy headed on in to Chickasaw_** **_County_** **_to apply fer bail. Jesse took with him everythin' that was hidden in the bottom of the embroidery basket, an' I don't mean Daisy's knittin', but money from the 'shine runs that ol' Jesse'd been savin' for a rainy day. An' friends, it sure is a-pourin' right now."_**

Bo snapped awake at the sound of the jail cell opening. He didn't recall falling asleep, and his limbs ached from finally dozing off in a sitting position. He blinked blearily at the open door and the tap-tap-tap of approaching feet.

"Beauregard Duke? I'm Sammy Davies; I'm from the Public Defenders office."

Bo frowned sleepily. "But, er, but you… ya'll a woman!"

"**_That boy sure is swift, ain't he?"_**

Samantha Davies smiled, "I guess we won't be pleading poor eyesight on this one."

"**_Ya'll come back, ya hear? 'Cos here's where things get interestin'"_**

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Thanks for the reviews!

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	5. Chapter 5

**---5---**

Bo stared up at the woman. She smiled gently back at him with a warmth he dimly remembered from his aunt Lavinia who had died when Bo was only six. He sat up a little straighter on the bed and then remembered his manners and stood up. "Ya gonna defend me an' Luke?"

"I'm certainly going to try." She told him. Her accent was mid-western and pleasant.

The deputy closed the cell behind her and left them to talk.

"Can I sit down?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She settled down on the edge of the cot, opened her briefcase and pulled out a file. "Is it Bo or Beauregard?"

"Bo." He sat back down.

Another warm smile, this one crinkled her nose. "OK, Bo. I want you to start at the beginning." She said. "And I want you to trust me, so tell me everything."

"**_So Bo told Sammy about Jesse and the moonshine the Dukes had been makin' an' sellin' to their neighbours for as long as he could remember an' about the 'shine runs he an' Luke had been doin' an' about the last one, that'd landed them in more hot water than a pot full o' crawdads._**

_**An' while Sammy was gettin' the low-down on the Dukes, Jesse was a-pleading with the judge fer the boys' freedom. An' he weren't havin' much luck."**_

---

"**_Now Judge John Huckabee of Chickasaw county had a reputation fer bein' hard but fair…'cept on Tuesdays when his wife's momma came fer supper. Andy Roach told the Judge he wouldn't lay no objections to the boys bein' bailed but ol' John had seen a lot of moonshiners in his time and didn't care much for ol' Ridge Runners like Jesse, on account of his bein' kicked out o' that association way back in 1937 for makin' bad 'shine. So he set bail at two thousand dollars apiece an' that ain't rainy day money. That's a monsoon." _**

Jesse made his way down the steps of the court house feeling ten years older than when he'd walked up them. Daisy followed him, with Andy at her side.

"I'm sorry, Jesse." Andy said.

"What are we gonna do?" Daisy asked.

Jesse took a breath. "We're gonna see Bo. I just wish we'd a had some good news for him."

---

All through Bo's story Sammy had been taking notes in a small pad, occasionally asking questions on the details, like how much 'shine there was and how it was hidden. When Bo finally came to the end, they talked some more about the legal issues and the things the judge would take into account when it came to the trial. Bo listened to her advice.

"OK," she said finally, getting up. "I have to visit your cousin and let him know I'm defending you both and go through everything." She smiled, "and you're-"

"Going ta the City of Atlanta Jail."

Bo went white at the sheriff's voice.

"**_Sheriff Edward Thomas Little of Chickasaw_** **_County._** **_Ya'll remember him, don't ya?"_**

Sammy put herself between Little and Bo and straightened up. She barely came up to the sheriffs' shoulders.

"Sheriff, I hardly think that's necessary. He's just a boy."

He bent over her, glaring down with his mirrored sunglasses.

"**_Legend has it ol' Ed sleeps in those shades. He takes a shower in them too."_**

"He's a criminal."

Sammy snorted. "I see the word liberal isn't in your dictionary."

He held out some papers, which Sammy reluctantly took. "Transfer orders came through on the wire this morning. Ya got a problem with that, take it up with the judge. But its Tuesday, so I wouldn't reckon on yer chances."

She turned to Bo. "I'll do whatever I can to get you and Luke out, all right?" She promised.

Bo nodded, but didn't trust his voice.

Sammy smiled at him and squeezed his arm before turning to leave.

"Um…Ms Davies?"

She turned back. "Call me Sammy."

"Tell, er, tell Luke, um…" He looked down at his feet. "…That I didn't mean fer any o' this ta happen an' I'm sorry?"

Sammy touched his arm. "If everything you told me about your cousin is true, then he knows that." She said gently. "But I'll tell him."

As she left the cell, Sheriff Little came in and began cuffing Bo. He'd only got one wrist locked when the sound of a commotion outside the jail room echoed through the door.

"Dang it, the only thing sharp on me is ma tongue an' if ya don't let me see ma boy, I'll start a-usin' it!"

Bo's head came up at that familiar voice and Sammy saw a grin break across the young man's face for the first time. She silently vowed to do everything she could to make sure it stayed on there. The world needed that smile.

Jesse came barrelling in with a deputy at his heels, still trying to search him. Sammy smiled. This must be the famous Jesse Duke Bo had been telling her about.

Bo confirmed it a split second later. "Uncle Jesse!"

Sheriff Little wasn't too happy with the look of thunder Jesse gave him as he pushed into the cell and growled low in his throat like a sore gundog. Jesse pulled Bo into his arms, hugging him tight. Sammy watched wistfully.

"Mr Duke," Little snapped, "this boy is under arrest an' I-"

"Yes, about that, sheriff," Sammy cut in, earning her a growl this time. "I need to see the arrest records before I go, to make sure this young man and his cousin were given their full Miranda rights."

Little's lip curled up.

Jesse gave Sammy a big smile, recognising that she was buying them time.

Sammy stared at Little. "Now please."

The sheriff gave Bo a hard look. "Five minutes." He said before leading Sammy away.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Bo." Sammy told him. "Sooner if I can." She began to follow Little, pausing only to smile at Jesse. "Nice to meet you, Mr Duke."

Jesse's eyes twinkled at her, grateful of the minutes she'd bought them.

Alone now, except for the deputy who kept a polite distance, Jesse looked his nephew over. The boy was pale and lacked the energy that seemed to leak from his very pores every moment he was awake. His eyes were shadowed, both from lost sleep and the bruising from the crash.

"How ya holdin' up?"

"I'm OK, Uncle Jesse." He told him, but wouldn't meet his eyes. "Is Luke all right?"

"He's fine. Worried 'bout you though." Jesse looked at his youngest charge. "I was worried 'bout ya too."

"Luke's the one in hospital."

"You're the one in jail." Jesse laid a hand on Bo's arm. "We're find a way to get ya out, son, both of you. Me an' Daisy an' Cooter…an' I got me a good feelin' about that little lady there too."

"Sammy." Bo raised his head, wishing his eyes weren't wet. "She's a public defender."

"Andy said she's the best an' seein' how she handled that sheriff, I'd say he were right."

Despite Bo's best efforts, a tear tracked down his cheek. Jesse got out his hankie and wiped it away. "I know things are bad Bo, but the Good Lord is lookin' out for ya." He told him. "He brought ya cousin home safe from Vietnam an' he sent you younguns to me fer a Purpose, so put ya trust in Him."

Another tear rolled down Bo's cheek.

"Now there's a couple a things I want you to hear 'fore ya go." Jesse used the hankie again. "The first is, you're a Duke an' I want ya to walk in that place with ya head held high, ya hear?"

"Yes, sir."

Jesse's voice wavered. "The second is that I love ya an' I'm proud of ya."

Two more tears spilled and Jesse dabbed them away before pulling Bo into another hug. He held the boy for a long moment. Then he gently pulled back and tucked the hankie into Bo's shirt pocket as if to say there should be no more tears.

Sheriff Little strode back in the cell. He glared at Jesse and began cuffing Bo.

"I'll see ya real soon, Bo."

Bo nodded, swallowing his tears and keeping his head high, just like he promised. Then he was led away.

---

"Mr Duke?"

Luke looked up from the hand of cards he held. A woman entered. She was in her late thirties, with a neat bob of blonde hair and looked a whole lot friendlier than the last nurse who'd come in. "No I don't need me a bed pan, thanks."

The woman came up to the bed. "I'm not a nurse, Mr Duke." She told him. "Luke, isn't it?"

"Sure."

"I'm your lawyer, Sammy Davies. I've already spoken to your cousin-"

Luke sat forward, "is Bo all right?" He demanded.

She smiled. "He's fine." She assured him, touched by more of the simple concern the Dukes had each felt for the others. "Scared, but he's a brave young man."

There was relief on Luke's face and then he covered it with bravado. "He's a Duke."

"He told me to tell you he's sorry about what happened."

"It ain't his fault." Luke said.

"They're moving him to the City of Atlanta jail."

"What?" Luke cried. "He-he's just a kid!" He looked at her. "You're our lawyer? Well, get me outta here an' in with Bo!"

And as he spoke, the door opened and a doctor walked in. "And here was me thinking I had bad news for you, Mr Duke." He said and held out a form. "I'm releasing you. The deputy here is free to take you to jail."

Luke broke into a smile.

"**_Bet ya'll never thought you see a man happy about goin' ta jail. They do things different in Hazzard."_**

---

"**_That there is the City of Atlanta_** **_jail. Impressive, ain't it?"_**

Bo stared up at the prison as he was led out of the police car. The huge blocks were surrounded by high walls and sectioned by tall wire fences and gates. There was a distinct heaviness to the air, as if the very molecules of oxygen knew they weren't free.

"**_It's home to over three thousand men, jailed for every crime you can think of an' a few more besides, from grand theft auto to murder. An' now it's home to a Duke." _**

Two prison officers led him cuffed through the sections. Bo was aware of the sounds of his own footsteps echoing in the massive place. They took him into a room and another officer brought him some plain prison clothes – a blue shirt with a serial number on the breast pocket and dark trousers. He was un-cuffed to get dressed and when he was changed, the officer came back in and took away with his clothes. As the man walked out, he remembered the handkerchief Jesse had given him was still tucked in the pocketand the loss of that small link to home was a crushing weight in his chest.

Then he was taken out and led through the prison. There was low jumble of noise all around, the sounds of thousands of men, constantly battering his eardrums. The guards pointing out areas as they went – food hall, showers, recreational rooms – all the places prisoners were permitted to go. Everything was dull and grey. Bo knew the moment when they reached the cell areas. The noise was louder here, voices coming into focus instead of one indistinct roar. Prisoners yelled and thumped their cell doors as he passed, like hounds scenting fresh blood.

He jumped at some of the catcalls, but he remembered what his uncle had told him. He kept his head high.

The guards finally stopped.

"Here we are." The first one said and nodded into an open cell.

Inside, Bo saw a large man was sprawled on the top bunk reading a magazine. He looked over the pages, right at Bo, sizing up his new room-mate.

"That's Ricky," said the other guard. "Yer be sharin' with him."

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Thanks for the reviews!


	6. Chapter 6

**--6--**

"Luke, would you sit down please?"

Luke stopped mid-step and turned to Sammy. "Can't we do this on the way?" His tone was impatient. He'd been pacing the small hospital room since he had got dressed and ready to go. Even the deputy guarding him was starting to look a little weary of the young man's constant walking back and forth like a caged animal in a zoo.

"No. I need to take notes."

"You can take notes sittin' in the back with me." Luke insisted.

She smiled despite herself. "Travelling in a patrol car isn't on list of things to do. Besides, your cousin doesn't have a very good opinion of police driving skills so I doubt it'll be possible."

Luke chuckled. "Well that's the truth."

"So sit down and tell me about Monday," she told him, "where you went and who you delivered to."

"Ain't ya already gone through this with Bo?"

"Yes. But I need to hear your version." Sammy explained. "Everyone sees things differently and you might remember something he doesn't."

"It ain't like we ain't guilty."

She set her pad down a minute. "Luke, sometimes the law isn't about if you did it, or if you didn't do it. It's about the 'why' you did it and that can make a lot of difference to a judge and a jury."

Luke began pacing again. "Bo'll be there by now."

Sammy sighed. "Very likely." She picked up her pad again. "And the sooner we get this done, the sooner you can join him." She looked straight at him. "OK?"

The young man sighed, "OK…Uncle Jesse wanted us to take two cases over to Jeb Tyler, he lives the other side o' Chickasaw…"

He carried on pacing through his story.

---

"**_So while Luke was a-wearin' a hole in the floor o' Tri-county Hospital, and in Sammy's patience, Bo was settlin' into his new home an' ya'll don't need me ta tell ya, he was one plum scared Duke." _**

Bo sat down on the edge of the bottom bunk. He had offered Ricky what he hoped was a friendly smile as he walked in but the other man had just returned to his magazine as if Bo wasn't even there.

"Lunch is in an hour, kid." The guard told him. "Ricky here'll show the ropes."

The guard left and Bo lay back on the bed and stared up at the bulge in the springs above him. He hoped the guard wasn't being literal.

---

Luke winced as the deputy twisted his arms behind his back to cuff his wrists. The cuffs pinched his skin as they were snapped closed.

"**_That's Deputy Thackeray Hayes. He sure loves his job."_**

Luke was then frog-marched out the hospital and down the steps to the waiting patrol car. Hayes bent Luke's head and all but pushed him into the back seat. Luke's head ached at the sudden movement. He'd had a dull throb behind his eyes since he'd woken up, but he hadn't told the doctor. He was afraid they might keep him in for another night.

Hayes slid into the driver's seat and looked at Luke in the rear view mirror. "Ya better watch in there, boy." He said with a nasty smile. "Sprats like you an' yer cousin are ripe fer fryin'." Then he laughed.

Luke met him square in the eyes. "Be just like in the Marines."

---

"**_An' as Luke was on his way to double the Duke population o' the City of Atlanta_** **_jail, Bo was gettin' his first taste o' prison food, an' it sure weren't like Jesse's cookin'." _**

Bo carried his tray and followed Ricky into the food queues. The other prisoners crowded him, bumping him as he shuffled along, waiting his turn. Ricky just shrugged and tugged Bo's tray up.

"Stop lookin' like meat, kid."

"Um, meat?"

Ricky smiled and it wasn't a nice smile. "Yeah, dead meat." He chuckled. "You in with the vultures, remember that, so be best ta look like another vulture an' not like a carcass."

At the counters, Bo was given various globs of slop. He lost Ricky in the huddle around the water jug, after being pushed and shoved out of the way more times than he could count. When he finally got some water, he turned to look for Ricky and the sheer size of the food hall suddenly hit him. The ceilings were higher than Bo had ever seen and the huge room housed rows and rows of tables, packed tight with men. There were more people here than the entire population of Hazzard.

Bo gave up hope of ever spotting Ricky in the crowds and began walking to find a spot to sit. Halfway across a thug stuck out his boot and Bo went flying, his grey slop splattering to the floor. Bo landed in it with a thud.

The other prisoners jeered, turning in their seats or standing to watch the show. The thug got up. He was over six feet and built like a barn. Some of the prison slop had splattered over the thug's clothes and he stared down at himself with disgust. Then he looked down at Bo. His face was set into a grimace of hate and anger. He put out his boot, where a huge glob of yellow mush had landed.

"Clean it up, meat."

Bo got up. His jeans felt damp and sticky from the food stuck to them. .

"I said clean it up, meat."

Bo stood his ground, but didn't know what to do.

"CLEAN IT UP!" And he grabbed Bo by the neck and pushed him down to the floor. The hall erupted into whooping and jeering. "With yer tongue."

Bo hit the mucky floor with his chin, jarring his head badly. The thug pressed him down harder and the floor bit into Bo's cheek.

Then the pressure suddenly ceased and Bo saw his tormentor hit the floor beside him. There was a moment when their eyes locked and Bo felt a chill run through him.

Then Bo was hauled to his feet by a guard. His face was as hard as the thugs, and there was no sympathy in his eyes, only boredom and annoyance.

Another guard was dealing with Bo's tormentor. He looked at Bo. "Get a mop an' bucket."

Bo didn't argue.

And he didn't have lunch.

---

Luke changed into his prison issue clothes with military efficiency. He knew this wouldn't be the same as those terrible months in the training barracks, but he also knew that there were similarities and that knowledge would serve him well.

Luke had come to understand, the hard way, about the perils of being the underdog in a contained environment, and about being the top dog. He'd learned how to earn your place on the ladder and keep it. It had cost him dearly and he didn't much like the shadows that knowledge had left on his soul but they were there and sometimes, like now, they were even useful.

It hurt to think of Bo changed that way. But change he would if they sentenced to years in here.

Luke followed the guard to his cell. Inside, a man was sitting at the single table, writing. He didn't seem to notice their approach and Luke used the time to study his cell mate. He was thick set man in his late twenties with thickly muscled arms that were tattooed with birds of prey.

The guard banged on the open cell door. "Hey, Gator, got some meat for ya."

"**_I sure hope that ain't the name his momma gave him."_**

Gator looked round, twisting in his chair. He looked Luke up and down like a buyer inspecting bad merchandise.

"You gotta name?"

"Luke Duke."

Gator laughed. "Bad handle, meat."

Luke looked at his guard. "When do we get out in the yard?"

"'Bout half an hour, now." The guard told him. "Wouldn't be in no hurry though. Little fish like you."

"**_Now ya'll know that Luke ain't stupid an' it ain't exercise he's after. He's countin' on it bein' his chance to talk to Bo."_**

The guard turned to leave the cell. "Be nice, Gator."

The guard left the cell and Luke looked at the bunks, unsure of which was his.

"Bottom." Gator told him. "And when ya make ya own, ya make mine."

Luke had no intention of doing anything of the sort, but he was wise enough not to argue the point.

"An' Lukey Dukey?"

Luke turned.

"Stay outta my way."

---

Recreation time came slowly and Gator's non-existent patience with his new cell mate was stretched as Luke waited out those minutes. When the guards yelled out, Luke followed the mass of prisoners out into a huge yard with its massive walls and wire fences. He was bumped and jostled by the men as he walked. He almost fell several times when the bumps became full body shoves.

He made his way through the masses, scanning the crowds as he walked, thanking the Lord for Bo's bright mop of blonde hair. It would stand out like a beacon against all these drab prison colours. And then he felt a wash of dread as another thought came on the tail end of the first. Maybe that was not so good.

Luke walked around, keeping his back Sergeant straight. He had learned after a time in the Marines how to look untouchable. It was mostly attitude and body language and a certain indefinable something that you either found inside yourself or you didn't. It had taken and cost Luke a lot of bruises to find it. But find it he did. And once gained, it wasn't lost.

Time passed as he walked, far faster than it went by while he was waiting in the cell. He was starting to fear that he'd never find his cousin in all these men, or that Bo's wing was on a different exercise rota as his.

Then he stopped. He had caught a flash of blonde in the corner of his eye. He scanned the crowds in that direction and just as he was starting to believe he'd imagined it, his eyes found the familiar narrow frame of his youngest cousin.

_Bo._

----------------------------------------

Sorry this took longer than normal, Gator kept wanting to come out my head as DCI Gene Hunt from "Life on Mars" and since that would have been too weird even for Hazzard, I had to keep re-writing his sentences. I think my brain was overheating on all this Dukes talk, but after a little holiday in my native tongue and some choice Mickey Webb torture, I should be OK now. ;o)


	7. Chapter 7

**---7---**

Luke walked towards the blonde head, dodging between the groups of cons, keeping his eyes on Bo all the time. His young cousin was staring off into space, looking lost and nervous. Luke could only see him in profile.

"Bo?"

His cousin turned, brilliant grin blossoming on his face. Luke felt a jolt as he saw fresh scrapes, along with the older bruises from the crash, on the other side of Bo's face. He wanted to grab Bo and hug the living daylights out of him, but he didn't dare, not in this place.

Luke stepped away from Bo's automatically raised arms and just clutched his cousin's hand in a shake and clapped him on the shoulder. Bo's eyes betrayed his confusion at his cousin's actions. For a moment, neither knew what to say.

Bo broke the awkward silence. "I'm sorry, Luke."

That was the last thing he expected to hear. "Whatcha apologisin' for?"

"For crashin' the _Traveller_. For landin' us in this place."

Luke's eyes flickered to the other cons, who were beginning to look their way, interested in the young newcomers. "Let's walk, all right?" He said and snagged Bo's arm to propel him forward.

"It ain't ya fault, Bo." He said as they walked. "An' blamin' yaself ain't gonna help any."

Luke noticed one of the cons staring at Bo, looking the young man up and down. He switched sides, putting himself between them. It didn't help that Bo was a good few inches taller than Luke.

Luke increased their pace, but not by much. Just enough speed to get them away from the men quickly but not so fast as to draw attention to them. It was a delicate balance. Luke now knew what a rabbit felt like, always on the alert for danger. The tension didn't help that ache in his head, which was slowly increasing as the day wore on.

Bo frowned. "Ya all right?"

Luke suddenly realised he must have tuned his cousin out. He offered him a smile. "I'm fine." He gestured to the scrapes on Bo's cheek. "Fact, I oughta be askin' you that."

Bo felt a sudden wash of shame. "It ain't nothin'"

Luke wasn't convinced but his attention was suddenly on a bulky man some way ahead, staring in their direction.

Gator.

His cellmate said something to another man standing at his side and they both laughed. Gator kept his eyes locked with Luke's the whole time.

"Who's that?" Bo asked.

"My cell mate." Luke told him. "He ain't worth worrin' over."

He only wished that were true. They walked on, talking about little things before lapsing into a companionable silence.

After a while, Bo stopped and looked at his cousin. "You think we're ever gonna get outta here?"

Luke sighed. "Prob'ly in about 5 to 10."

"Years?"

Luke nodded and carried on walking. Bo followed.

"Luke?" He asked eventually.

"Yeah?"

"Ain't there nothin' we can do?"

Of course there wasn't. "Bo…" He began, but he couldn't destroy the hope on the boy's face. "Now don't ya remember what Jesse always says?" He asked, in a lighter tone than he felt inside. "Where there's a will…"

Bo grinned. "…There's a Duke." He finished.

"'xactly."

They turned a corner. There was a row of bleachers along the wall, where groups of hardened men sat. They looked the new meat up and down. Luke saw that a few eyes were focused only on Bo and those gazes were enough to freeze the blood.

Luke steered Bo back the way they came. His cousin didn't seem to notice the change.

Luke looked back. The men were still watching, some of them were even laughing at the reaction they'd provoked.

"I wantcha to promise me somethin', Bo."

"Anythin'."

"Don't go anywhere alone in here, all right?" He told him. "Not to the showers, or kitchens or in yer cell. Don't get trapped."

"Why?"

"Never mind why, just promise me, OK?"

"Sure."

---

"**_Time passes real slow in prison, 'cept when ya don't want it too. Pretty soon, Bo an' Luke were herded back to their cells like cattle at a market an' when ya'll have been livin' as free as those two boys, let me tell ya, that is hard to take."_**

Luke was aware of Gator following him back to his cell. He never looked back to see him but Luke knew he was there all the same. Inside his cell, Luke went to his bunk and lay down. His head was pounding like someone was trying to hammer nails into his brain. He threw his arm across his eyes to keep out the light. It was very little comfort

Gator walked in and kicked the bunks. The noise and vibrations jarred Luke's aching head.

"That boy yer kin?" He asked.

Luke didn't move. "Ain't none of ya business if it is."

"Pretty boy." He sneered, "know me some who'd look after him real good."

Luke sat up. "Leave Bo alone."

Gator laughed nastily, "or what, kid? You gone run to ya mumma?" Gator leaned over Luke and stuck his face right into his. "Think ya'd better be lookin' after yaself, boy." He chuckled. "Them that's be takin' a like him, may just like ya too."

"I can take care of myself." He put enough edge on it to make it sound a threat.

Gator laughed again. "Boy, you ain't got no idea."

"**_I don't know 'bout ya'll, but I really don't like that guy."_**

---

Bo looked up as Ricky came into their cell. His cell mate didn't speak, only got onto his bunk with a sigh. He took up a battered prison library book and began reading.

Bo lay back on his own bed and waited out time. He had a feeling he was going to get really good at that before long.

The sounds of the prison echoed into the cell, yelling, banging, fighting, and finally he sighed.

Ricky jumped down off his bed. He put his book back on the table. Then he turned to Bo. "Gotcha in the halls, huh?"

Bo sat up. "What?"

Ricky tapped his own cheek then pointed at Bo's. "Who was it?"

Bo looked down, ashamed. "Don't know."

Ricky chuckled. "Yeah, ya learnin' kid."

Bo lay back again. He didn't bother explaining that was the truth. "Why are ya here?"

"Ain't polite ta ask that."

"But you ain't like…" He trailed off, not wanting to offend.

"Like ya expected? Like the con who gave ya that shiner?"

Bo was reluctant to answer.

Ricky snorted. "Look, kid, I ain't much different ta you, 'cepting a few years in here. I trusted the wrong people." Ricky looked at the bars. "Ain't gonna make me that mistake again."

---

"**_Back at the Duke farm, Jesse an' Daisy were tryin' ta keep up their spirits, by cookin' up a batch of Jesse's famous chitlins an' corn bread. Now ol' Andy was a mite partial to Jesse's chitlins and got himself an invite when he dropped by to see if there was anythin' he could do about the farm. An' Jesse invited Sammy too so she could go over her plans fer the trial. But without the boys, that was one quiet table."_**

Daisy made coffee after dinner and they all retired into the living area. Sammy had finished explaining the judicial procedures and the conversation had turned to the farm and the forthcoming harvest. Andy promised his help, but they all knew that without Bo and Luke a fair portion of the crops would spoil and rot still in the ground.

Andy finally stood up. "Thanks for the meal, Jesse."

Jesse got up too. "You're always welcome, ya know that."

Andy nodded. "I appreciate that."

Sammy also stood. "I'd best be leaving too." She said and began packing her files back into her briefcase. "Thank you."

They said their goodnights and Andy walked her out to their cars. He apologised to Sammy as he took out his tobacco. He had been desperate for a cigarette for several hours, needing the calming heat in his lungs to soothe the regret in his heart.

He caught her looking as he lit up. "I know, I oughta quit." He breathed out a line of smoke. "Now ain't the time though."

She smiled gently. "Jesse doesn't blame you."

Andy sucked in a long draw of smoke. Then let it out slowly. "Perhaps he should."

"He knows it's your job." She told him. "The Dukes are good people."

"**_I knowed there was somethin' I liked her."_**

They reached his car and he leant back against it, looking back at the house. The sun was going down, bathing the farm in an ethereal golden reddish glow. There was a simple beauty in his ramshackle farmhouse that Andy had never found anywhere else.

"That's where those boys belong." He murmured. "Not in no city jail."

"I agree."

"Ya know, first day I came here, Luke was ridin' his bike just about here, an' Bo was a-chasin' after him." He chuckled. "Those boys ain't stopped since." He sucked again on his cigarette. "More'n ten years of chasin' the Dukes…an' I got 'em." He chucked down the butt and stamped on it. "I wish it coulda been different."

---

"**_Bo an' Luke made it through meal time by watchin' each others back an' keepin' their heads down. But neither felt like eatin'."_**

Luke got ready for bed quickly, remembering the drill from his days in the Marine barracks. Gator had already washed, leaving Luke with a dirty basin and cold water. He'd seen the reason why his mean cell mate was called Gator. On his back was a huge and detailed tattoo of an alligator. It must have taken weeks to complete and had probably hurt like hell.

Luke did his best to ignore him and bent to wash his face in the small basin they shared. Hands shoved him forward and Luke's head thudded against the basin, sending it clattering to the floor. Water splashed over them, flooding the floor.

Gator grabbed him and pulled him up, throwing him against the wall. The air whuffed out of Luke's lungs on impact and his head swam. Gator put his face right into Luke's.

"I tol' ya, plowboy," he snarled, "ya do ya bed, ya do mine."

---

Bo pulled the covers around him as the lights went out across the prison with an audible click. He rolled onto his side, closed his eyes and thought about Jesse's words.

Put your faith in the Good Lord.

Bo's lips began to move, silently whispering the Lord's Prayer over and over until he fell asleep.

---

Luke lay in the darkness. His head ached from the blows and his lip felt swollen where he'd hit the basin. So much for being the experienced one. So much for using his training and time in the Marines to get them both through this.

A silent tear slipped free.

"**_Friends, things is gettin' serious."_**

**_--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_**

Thanks to Tish, who during proof reading pointed out that saying Andy was desperate for a fag would give American readers entirely the wrong impression about revenuers!


	8. Chapter 8

**---8---**

"**_Andy didn't sleep that night, he kept thinkin' about the boys all alone up there in Atlanta an' about Jesse, who'd been a mighty good friend ta him over the years. But when mornin' came he was no closer ta findin' a way to help the Dukes than when he'd left the farm with Sammy. _**

_**An' he weren't the only sleepless man in Hazzard, Jesse sat on the porch most all of the night, thinkin' about his boys an' about moonshine an' the traditions ol' Jesse held dear to his heart. Ya see, runnin' shine ain't just a way of life to the Dukes, it's everythin' they are an' everythin' they ever was."**_

Daisy watched out of the window as she washed up the breakfast dishes. In front of the house, Jesse was brushing down Maudine before they headed on out to plow the back forty. The old mule stamped her hoof impatiently at the fuss. Luke usually did all of her grooming, he seemed to have better luck with her. Jesse always said it was because they were both as stubborn as the other.

Daisy sighed and went back to the washing up. She missed her cousins constantly, like a dull ache. It frightened her to think of them both locked away in a high security pen with the kind of hardened men most of the people in Hazzard only read about in city newspapers or heard about on the TV. Bo was just a boy, not long passed his eighteenth and Luke…Daisy knew Luke wasn't as tough as he made out. Would he be celebrating his twenty-fourth behind bars in just a few short weeks?

She had hoped that she and Jesse would have time to visit them today but she knew it might not happen. The farm chores were already falling behind without the boys and they had a responsibility to the animals that depended on them for food and warmth, just as they would depend on those creatures when times turned hard.

The boys would understand.

Jesse came back into the house. "Dang blast it, that mule gets more stubborn ev'ry day!"

Daisy dried her hands with a sad smile. "She misses Luke."

"We all do, honey." Jesse murmured. "We all do."

---

"**_Now when ya'll have spent ya whole life wakin' ta a cockerel a-crowin' in the mornin' an' to the smell o' Jesse's cookin', it's real hard ta open ya eyes ta grey walls an' steel bars, an' the sound of hundreds a locks openin' at once."_**

Bo was thinking about all those prison movies he and Luke had seen in the small picture house in Hazzard, where the wrongly accused hero chalk marked away his sentence on the wall. Whole weeks would pass for him in a few frames of celluloid. If only it were that simple. There was a mind-numbing slowness to the hours that no film had ever got across to Bo. But he was getting a lesson now.

Bo once again lost Ricky on the way into the food hall. He was beginning to realise Ricky liked it that way. It probably wasn't smart to be seen around a newcomer.

He and Luke had arranged a way to find the other, selecting a couple tables that they would be waiting at and agreeing to sit there at all times. It would make things a little easier than just scanning the hoards of men in hope of seeing the other.

Bo made his way across the hall, feeling relief when he saw Luke ahead of him, already seated at the table and picking through his slops without much enthusiasm.

Bo was so focused on Luke that he didn't pay much attention to the faces of the cons as he carried his food over to the tables. The huge man who'd tripped Bo before got up as Bo walked past him and 'accidentally' stopped right in Bo's path. Bo crashed straight into him, sending his tray flying through the air and Bo thudded down to join it on the floor.

The man roared with laughter.

Bo felt his cheeks burn and jumped to his feet.

"Whatcha go an' do that for?" He demanded. "Ya did that on purpose, didn't ya?"

The man grabbed Bo by the hair and yanked his head back. "Little sprat gettin' uppity?" He spat and put his other hand about Bo's throat and squeezed.

Bo clawed at the hand as his blood stalled on its way to his brain and the pressure crushing against his windpipe cut off his breathing. Darkness began creeping in at the edges of his vision but he had enough left to see Luke looming over his assailant.

There was a loud crunch as Luke bashed the brute across the head with his own tray. The huge man grunted, falling forward. He let go of Bo who collapsed down onto his knees, gasping for breath.

The thug got up and grabbed Luke by the arm. Luke hit him across the jaw, sending the huge man reeling. He had the satisfaction of seeing surprise on the other cons face at the power in Luke's fists. He saw the man nod once and then Luke felt someone grab him from behind. He struggled in their grip and as he did so, he saw the familiar tattoos on the arms holding him.

Gator.

The huge man threw a punch into Luke's stomach, doubling him over. Then the arms abruptly released Luke and he spun round to catch a glance of his young cousin grappling with Gator. Bo had pulled him off Luke.

Luke saw Bo take a blow across the chin but then his attention was taken up by the huge man who seemed intent on separating Luke from at least one of his limbs.

And then the guards wadded in, yelling, swinging their batons, uncaring if their blows did damage.

A guard restrained the huge man. "Danziger," another guard snapped at him. "Ain't ya gonna learn?" He shoved his baton in the huge man's stomach and his legs buckled for a moment.

"Hey!" Luke started forward. So did Bo.

Danziger spat at the guard and received another blow, this time when he sagged down, he didn't stand up.

"Solitary." The guard said casually.

Danziger was dragged away and the guard turned to Gator. Luke almost felt sorry for him. Almost.

"Gator."

Luke's cell mate held up his hands, feigning innocence. "Hey I was just takin' care of little ol' Bo here." Gator smiled at Bo. He put his arm around Bo's shoulders. Bo winced as his arm brushed his tender neck. "Ain't that right, Bo?"

Luke flew at Gator, but the guard grabbed him before he could connect.

"Duke, ain't it?" The guard said. "Ya new, so I'll give ya the opportunity ta apologise."

Luke said nothing.

The guard put his baton to Luke's chest, just resting it there. Luke looked between him and Gator. "No."

He chuckled, enjoying it. "Duke, ya goin' in solitary!"

Bo stepped forward. "But he ain't-"

The guard turned swiftly, placing his baton above Bo's heart. "I suggest ya shut it, sonny." He warned. "Or ya be joinin' him."

Luke shook his head at his cousin and Bo backed off.

Luke was marched away. He looked back at Bo.

The last sight Luke got was of Bo's bruised face and Gator staring at him.

"**_I've seen a hawk look like that, when he was a-fixin' ta catch a mouse."_**

---

"**_So while Bo was moppin' yet another meal off the prison floor, Luke was doin' some hard thinkin'." _**

Luke sat alone in the small, simple cell. It contained only a bed and a table and chair with a toilet and basin at the far end. At least the solitude was easing the persistent ache in Luke's head. The quiet might almost have been welcome after the relentless background noise of the prison if not for the fear churning in his gut.

He cursed himself for his stupidity. How was he supposed to look out for Bo stuck in here?

Luke had promised Bo, long ago, when they'd both been small and skinny, that he'd always be there for him. He had never made himself a liar, although there was one time when Bo was eight that he'd skirted real close to breaking it, but Jesse had forgiven him for that and had told him he must forgive himself too.

Luke lay back and closed his eyes.

He wondered if Jesse would forgive him this time.

---

Bo tried not to worry about Luke. He guessed he couldn't come to any harm locked away on his own, that is if the guards left him be.

Boredom had driven him to the one reasonable quiet place in the entire jail. The prison library wasn't very big, but it boasted a good array of books in various stages of decay, cluttered and cramped onto every available shelf.

Bo searched among the titles, hoping for something on the NASCAR's or the Paris/Dakar, anything to whittle away some of the time that crept so slowly along.

There was only one other prisoner in the library, an elderly man with thick glasses who served as the prison librarian. The man had greeted Bo with a smile and pointed him in the direction of the factual books. It had felt, for the briefest of heartbeats, like being back at school.

Bo looked up as he heard the elderly prisoner bustle out.

He turned.

Gator was standing behind him with two other men, one was thin and ratty looking, the other large and bald headed.

Gator grinned. "Hey, pretty boy."

"**_I don't know 'bout ya'll, but I can't look."_**

**_----------------------------------------------_**

Thanks for the reviews, they're keeping me going!


	9. Chapter 9

**---9---**

Bo stood up as straight as he could. "Whatda ya'll want?" He asked.

Gator smiled. "You, boy." He stepped forward, crowding Bo.

Bo refused to take a step back. He looked at the door, only twenty or so feet away, but with the three men between him and it, it may as well have been twenty thousand.

The ratty looking man looked him up and down. "He sure is pretty."

Bo stepped back. He didn't know why, but the look of this smaller man was more frightening than Gator or the larger man.

Bo made a snap decision and threw himself forward, knocking Gator out of his way and dashed for the door. The large man grabbed Bo's arm, using his massive weight to pull Bo to a stop. Bo spun and managed to get in good blow across the man's jaw before Gator grabbed his other arm and held him firm.

"He's a regular alley cat, Marty." Gator laughed.

The ratty man pointed down. "Get him on the floor!" .

Bo struggled in their grip as they tried to push him face down onto the floor. His foot connected with Gator's belly and he grunted in pain, his hold on Bo slipped enough for the boy to get his feet down on the floor and push up against the man holding him. Gator kneed him in the stomach and Bo crumpled. They pushed him down flat and Gator put his foot on Bo's back and pressed hard. Bo felt the floor dig into each of his ribs, robbing him of the power to breathe in. He could see the ratty man that Gator had called Marty standing over him.

"Lay off, Gator." Marty yelled. "I want him awake. Ain't no fun if they ain't awake."

The laughter chilled Bo's heart. Then the sound was cut off abruptly.

"Guards is comin' boys." Another voice said. Bo recognised Ricky's voice and felt some hope break through the fear.

Gator took his foot off of Bo and went to Ricky. "Ya call 'em?" He challenged. "That ain't smart, Ricky."

"Not me." Ricky shrugged. "Just changin' ma book, Gator." And then coldness filled his voice. "An' that's the only education I want today."

The large man let Bo go but the boy remained where he was. Moving wasn't an option he felt he wanted to take right now.

Footsteps sounded and two guards came in, eyes taking in the tableau.

The first one went straight to Luke's cellmate. "Gator." He said.

Gator was the picture of innocence. "Was just 'bout ta call ya." He said, "seems little Bo here's had a bad turn."

The other guard knelt by Bo and checked him over. "He's taken a beating."

The guard looked at Gator. "Don't ask me, we just found him like that." Gator said. "Ya know, ya'll need to be careful in a place like this, its gettin' worse by the day."

"Only since the likes of you arrived."

"Careful now, officer. I just might take offence at that." Gator told him. "Ain't just us cons that's gotta be watchin' our backs in here."

The guard stared at him, unflinching. "Anyone see anythin'?"

There was chorus of 'no's and shaken heads.

"**_Prison blindness affects pretty much ev'ry convict since prisons was invented."_**

The guard looked at Bo, who was being helped to his feet. "And you, son?"

Bo caught Ricky's eye. His cellmate shook his head slightly. "Um, I…I tripped."

"**_Uh-huh. Ya'll see what I mean?"_**

The guard sighed and then gestured at Bo. "Get him to the doc."

---

Bo sat on the small medical exam table, stripped to the waist. The doc had listened to his chest and probed his ribs before deciding Bo was just bruised and an x-ray wouldn't be necessary. An orderly then came to clean Bo's cuts as the guard took the doctor aside to talk to him. Bo heard snatches of their conversation between winces at the sting of antiseptic on his tender skin.

"He's fine, Daniel." The doctor was telling the guard. "Good strong bones."

The guard looked in Bo's direction. "Boy don't look it ta me."

"Cuts and scrapes and a few bruises. Hardly reason to lock him up in here."

"Looks kinda shocked ta me." The guard commented. "Sorta squirrel-ly about the eyes."

The doctor chuckled. "I'm telling you, he's fine."

Daniel shook his head and sighed. "Marty's taken a likin' ta him, doc."

"Oh." The doctor paused a moment, thinking. Then he looked at Bo. "Martin Croft?"

"Uh-huh."

Bo had heard quite enough. "I can take care of myself." He protested and jumped as the orderly pressed hard against a particularly painful bruise. "Hey!"

The guard snorted. "Sure ya can, boy."

"Look, I can't keep him in more'n a night, Daniel." The doc finally said. "I'm bending the rules as it is. Ya'll have ta do yer jobs after that."

Daniel looked at Bo. "Better than nothin', doc." He said and the look on his face gave Bo the shivers. "Better than nothin'."

---

"**_Bright an' early, Cooter had returned Traveller to the farm, as good as new an' prob'ly a mite better, but there weren't no body home. Jesse had set out for Atlanta as soon as the sun was up, with Daisy ridin' shotgun, in order ta beat the traffic. But ya'll ever been ta the city? Ain't no time when there ain't traffic." _**

"He's been what?" Jesse demanded.

"Placed in solitary, sir." The guard repeated politely. "I'm afraid your son was causing trouble."

"Them's my nephews," Jesse corrected impatiently, "an' those boys ain't no trouble makers."

"I don't have the details, sir. He'll be released at the end of today. You'll be able to visit with him tomorrow."

"I didn't come all this way ta come back tomorrow ta see my own kin."

"I'm sorry, sir. But that's the rules. I don't have the authority to break them."

Daisy took his arm. "Uncle Jesse."

Jesse patted her hand. "What about Bo?"

The guard checked his list. "Bob here'll escort you." He pointed to another guard. "He's in the hospital wing."

"Is he alright?" Daisy asked.

"He's fine, ma'am. Just a few bruises."

They followed Bob through the main security gates. Jesse complained all the way about not seeing Luke. Daisy tried to hush him, afraid the guards might refuse to let them in to see Bo if they caused too much of a scene.

They finally got to a large dull looking room with rows of beds against the walls. It didn't look very much like the wards in Tri-county, with the bars on the windows and the lack of cheery decoration, but the hospital smell was the same. Several of the beds were occupied and Daisy shuddered at some of the injuries she saw. Hardly any of the patients seemed to be there for genuine illness.

Bo's bed was at the far end, tucked into a corner. His face broke into a relieved grin at the sight of his family. His face was marked by scrapes and there was strain in his clear blue eyes, but the smile was still his and still as wide as ever.

Jesse pulled him into a bear hug and Daisy saw the flinch of pain on Bo's face, like his ribs where hurting him, but he held on to his uncle fiercely like he didn't want to let go.

---

"**_Now ya'll are prob'ly wondering where ol' Boss Hogg is an' what he's been a-doin' since the boys were thrown in the chokey. Well, he's been a-celebratin' with raw pig's liver an' pickled hogs feet… an' grits an' a bushel of corn dogs an'…ya'll get the idea, don't ya?"_**

Sammy Davies' stomach turned as she watched Boss cut the pigs liver and shovel it into his face. It wasn't just sight that was disgusting. She could smell the uncooked offal too and it reminded her of a slaughterhouse, or a very bloody crime scene.

"I sure wish I could help ya, Ms Davies." Hogg was saying between mouthfuls. "Ma heart just bleeds fer them boys an' their uncle. But there ain't nothin' that can be done, least of all by me. Those boys was caught on Chickasaw roads an' that's outta ma jurisdiction."

"Actually, Mr Hogg, there is a way for you to help."

Boss gave her a harsh look, and then turned it into a smile. "Well naturally, I'd be delighted, anythin' ta help them boys, only I'm a mite busy right now."

Sammy frowned. "Your bar keep said you were free all day."

Boss gave a look full of daggers at the connecting door between his office and the rest of the Boar's Nest. "Well, I wouldn't be listenin' ta him now. He's just a bar keep, an' a bad one at that. Fact, I'm thinkin' of gettin' a new one."

Boss returned to his raw liver and began cutting again. She could hear the man chewing through the tough organ. Sammy swallowed down her disgust but she stayed put.

Boss looked up at her. "What is it ya want, anyways?"

"A letter of recommendation, Mr Hogg."

Hogg laughed nastily. "Fer them two boys?" He got up. "Now listen here, missy. It was fine day fer the good citizens of Hazzard when them boys was put behind bars. A fine day."

His sudden change of heart didn't shock her. "Everyone I've spoken to speaks very highly of them."

"Well them's had their brains rot by all that bad Duke moonshine. Those boys have been a menace since Jesse took 'em in, like a load o' stray dogs – an' rabid ones at that!"

She met his eyes. "They don't belong in jail, Mr Hogg."

"Well I aim ta see they stay that way."

"And I aim to see them back where they belong!" Sammy said and turned to leave. She knew she was wasting her time. "And I'll do everything in my power to make that happen."

Sammy slammed the door behind her.

Hogg glared after her. "We'll see about that now, won't we?"

---

"**_Twenty-four hours ain't so long if ya spend 'em sleepin' an' that's what Luke did locked up in solitary. The guards woke him when his time was up, an' he was let back into the main prison. An' ya'll can bet Gator'd be sure happy ta see him."_**

Luke rubbed sleep from his eyes as he walked. He'd fallen into a doze after a few hours alone with his thoughts and he slept right through the night and pretty much all through the day. His head was woolly from the sleep, but it wasn't hurting anymore. He felt more like himself than he had since the crash.

Luke followed the guard back to his cell block, keeping his eye out for Bo along the way. He hoped his cousin was OK. As he walked he noticed that the noise from the prison was still roaring and ever present, but it didn't bother his head so much now.

When they got to his cell, the guard let Luke in before closing the door behind him. Gator was sprawled on his bed, with a nasty smile on his face.

"**_Now how would ya'll like ta wake up and find yerself in a nightmare?"_**

"Duke." Gator's eyes narrowed. "I missed ya, boy. Ain't been no fun without ya."

Luke snorted, unimpressed. "Can't say the feeling was mutual."

"That cousin o' yourn's been causing me a peck o' trouble." Gator told him. "An' I aim ta collect."

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Thanks again for the reviews! I probably wouldn't still be here without all your wonderful comments.


	10. Chapter 10

**---10---**

Luke hid the cold fear that clutched at his heart at the mention of Bo. Gator got up and walked over to Luke. They stood nose to nose.

"Boy put up a good fight."

The muscle in Luke's jaw tightened visibly.

Gator smiled nastily. "But not good enough."

Luke grabbed Gator by the scruff of the neck. "What did you do?"

"You'll just havta be a-wonderin' won't ya?"

Luke slammed Gator against the bunks. Gator pushed back, freeing himself from the hold. He was laughing. "You got some guts, boy."

"What did you do to Bo!"

"Weren't me. Ain't inta that." His lips twisted into a smile. "Saw though. Guards had to drag him away ta the doc."

Luke felt a tide of anger rush through him and he threw himself at Gator, hitting and hitting against the rage inside him. His strength caught his cell mate by surprise and Gator's defence was weak and desperate.

Gator's legs finally buckled and he hit the floor, face bleeding. He stared up at Luke with horror, as the realisation that he'd badly underestimated his cell mate dawned. Luke flexed his fist, knuckles sore.

"What happened to Bo?" Luke demanded.

Incredibly, Gator still laughed. "That all ya got, boy?" He said climbing to his feet. As soon as he was up, he threw a fist at Luke's jaw. Luke ducked back, avoiding the blow only to have Gator knock right into him. The pair crashed to the floor, grappling.

Luke quickly got the upper hand against his tiring opponent and managed to get up onto his knees and straddle the man.

The cell door slammed open. Luke immediately let go of Gator as two guards came in, stepping right back. Gator used the moment to smash his fist across Luke's jaw. One of the guards pulled Gator away. Luke recognised him from the food hall. He had a reputation for meanness and Luke had seen enough to know he'd earned it.

Gator's face faulted a minute as he wiped blood from his mouth. "Collins." He said at the guard holding him.

The guard nodded. "Gator." Collins said and jerked his head in Luke's direction. "Plowboy here teachin' ya some manners?"

Gator shook his head. "Minor disagreement."

Collins went to Luke. "I know he's a piece of farm turd, boy," he said, "but I can't letcha do that."

"He went after Bo."

"Little blondie?"

Luke nodded. "Gator said, he's…" He swallowed back the fear twisting in his guts. "That he's with the doc."

Collins shook his head. "Kid's fine. Only on the ward cos Danny's soft on young 'uns."

Luke felt a rush of relief flood through him.

"Solitary." Collins snapped and roughly shoved Gator at his colleague. "48 hours."

The other guard marched Gator out.

Collins looked at Luke. "Count yaself lucky, boy." He told him. "I'd been sending ya back in there too, if ya hadn't just got out. But I got ya card marked, kid."

---

Sheriff Rosco P Coltrane looked up as his office door swung open and his brother-in-law stalked in. He jumped a little when the door banged shut behind the white suited man.

"I'm a busy man, Boss." He told him and went back to writing out his reports.

Boss slammed both palms on Rosco's desk. "It's about them Duke boys."

Roscoe looked up. "They're in jail."

"I know they're in jail, you numbskull, I want you ta make sure they stay that way." Boss snapped. "There's a no good public defender sniffin' 'round sayin' she's gonna spring those boys."

"Sammy Davies?" Rosco put down his pen. "Yeah she's been in."

"Ya didn't give her that recommendation she was after, did ya?"

"Well of course I did." Rosco said. "I ain't got no desire to see them boys in jail, specially not up in Atlanta. That's a mean prison, Boss."

"**_Yup, ya heard that right. See, that decision on his pension that turned ol' Rosco crooked is still a couple a months off so what ya see is what ya get – an honest man o' law. Spooky, ain't it?"_**

"You really do have corn fer brains, don't ya?" Boss leaned over Rosco's desk. "You shoulda said no."

"Why, Boss?" He asked, "them two boys might get the odd speedin' citation, but they don't mean no harm."

"They're runnin' shine!"

"Well I know that." Rosco got up. "But so's half a Hazzard."

Boss ignored this. "They deserve ta be locked up, I tell ya!"

Rosco frowned. "What those boys ever done ta you?"

"They're Dukes!" Boss snapped as if that was reason enough, "an' if you get 'em off, you're sendin' a message ta the people of Hazzard that there ain't not reason ta obey the law! Why should they? When the no-good, push-over of a sheriff'll stand up fer ya an' let ya go on ya way."

Rosco made an '_eijit'_ noise. "Well, I…I guess I never thought of it that way, Boss."

"That's yer whole trouble, ya don't think." Boss told him. "So whatcha goin' ta do about it?"

---

Daisy invited Sammy and Andy over for supper to fill the two empty chairs at the table, one at her side where Bo always sat, and the other beside Jesse which was Luke's. It was depressing seeing the spaces and this way there wasn't the awful silence that weighted on both her and Jesse when they ate.

Sammy's conversation was animated, she was still spitting over her encounter with Boss Hogg and her opinions about the commissioner had laughter echoing though the farmhouse once again. Andy, who'd tried to warn her it wouldn't be any use, laughed the most at her frustration but never unkindly.

And at least she had did have some good news for Jesse. Rosco had written a character reference for Bo and Luke and she hoped it might sway the judge.

Dinner was some of Daisy's fried chicken and there was a silent agreement not to talk of the trial. They played cards after dinner until the only ones left in the game were Andy and Daisy.

Jesse walked out onto the porch for some air and found Sammy already sitting in the swing watching the sun set.

She smiled up at him. "It's beautiful."

"Guess ya don't get that so much in the big city."

Sammy shook her head. "If it's there, I don't notice." She replied. "Here…here there's enough time to see those things. It's not like that in the city."

The light was casting tones of gold and red over the land and Jesse smiled. "The boys used to play out here in front of the house when they was young uns. Used ta be a tree little way over yonder, with a playhouse up in its branches. Ma granddaddy built it with his own hands." Jesse's eyes clouded and Sammy wondered what ghosts the memory was had brought up. "I tore it down after it were struck by lightning…." He trailed off with a sigh. Then he visibly shook off whatever melancholy he felt and brightened. "Sure looked pretty against the sunset though, leaves looked like they was made o' gold an' that weren't all." He chuckled. "Bo's hair used ta turn bright orange in this light too."

"Kinda like yours right about now." Another voice said.

They both looked around and saw Daisy and Andy step out onto the porch.

Sammy smiled at Andy's comment and the two locked eyes for a long moment.

Daisy glanced at her uncle with a little smile, who cocked a scolding eye at his niece.

"Well who won?" Jesse asked, breaking the silence.

Andy looked sheepish. "Who do ya think? I swear, Daisy could bluff a man right outta his senses."

"**_Ya know, Daisy don't even need ta bluff."_**

Jesse gave a pleased smile. "Well who'd ya think taught her everythin' she knows?"

They all laughed and talked some more until Sammy and Andy decided to call it night and said they're goodbyes. Daisy and Jesse stayed on the porch and watched them walk down to their cars.

Daisy laid her head against her uncle's shoulder. The terrible sadness settling back on them now they were alone again.

"I wish…" Jesse began and trailed off for a long moment, before finishing. "I wish I ain't never made that shine."

Daisy's head came up. "Uncle Jesse!"

"I mean it, Daisy."

"**_Ya'll hear that? That's the sound of generations o' Dukes a-spinnin' in their graves."_**

"An' I wouldn't make another drop for as long as I'm breathin' if them boys could be free."

---

"**_Sound carries well on a clear Georgia_** **_night an' like my momma always says, from your lips ta God's ears."_**

Sammy looked at Andy. "Do you think…?"

The revenuer smiled.

-----------------------------------------

Thanks yet again for all your reviews!


	11. Chapter 11

**---11---**

Luke lay awake. He wasn't tired, not with all the sleep he'd had in solitary and the adrenaline from the fight still flowing in his veins. He knew his body would begin aching when it wore off. Gator had put up a good fight.

Luke's lips curled up at the thought. Not good enough.

He turned over onto his back and stared up into the inky blackness of the cell. He wondered how Bo was doing, far away in the hospital wing. He hoped his cousin was sleeping. The last time he'd seen Bo the boy had dark circles under his eyes and the colour of his skin had paled to the tone of buttermilk against the cuts and bruises.

It had only been four days and yet it felt like a lifetime since they were free. This wasn't the future Luke had planned in his head that last year in the Marines. Not, if he were honest, that it had been right from the moment he'd got back. Bo had grown and changed and Luke had missed it. He was a man now.

How much more would he grow that Luke wouldn't see?

After they were sentenced, there was no guarantee they'd be placed in the same wing, or even the same prison. Years could go by and he wouldn't see him. Letters hadn't served them very well when Luke was in the Marines; it wouldn't now, maybe even less so.

And Luke wouldn't be there to protect him.

He wasn't stupid. He knew what the looks some of the seedier prisoners were giving Bo meant. It made him sick to think of Bo victimised like that.

Or himself, for that matter. He knew he was a good fighter, but there was only so much one man could do against a group.

Luke sat up and flexed his fists.

He'd survive.

The image of Bo laughing over their prison dinner flickered in his mind.

And yes, Bo would survive too.

---

Bo couldn't sleep either and after tossing and turning until the stiff hospital sheets were sweaty, he got out of the bed and went to the window. Bars split the view, which was just grey prison walls and fence in any case and not the relaxing sight of fields and stars. Bo closed his eyes and in his head, he could see the farm and the wide expanse of their fields. He could feel the grass beneath his back as he lay back and stared up into the Heavens above Hazzard, sandwiched between Luke and Daisy, pointing out the constellations that burned brightly in a night sky unpolluted by the background light haze of a million buildings that robbed cities and towns of this splendour.

Banging broke the memory, the harsh sound of it and the shouting that followed echoed through the prison.

Bo shuddered. Was this his life now, for the next ten years? How old would he be when he got out?

It had seemed like a grand adventure just a few months ago. He'd dreamed of running shine since Luke had made his first run in Jesse's place. He had been a little older than Bo was now and Bo had thought him so grown up.

If only he'd known.

And then it had been his chance and it had been even more exhilarating than he'd imagined, dodging the cops and Andy and the other revenuers. It had been his way of paying back all the times Jesse had done that over the years; going out late and in all weathers to put shoes on his feet and food in his belly.

But this is what it had led too.

He hoped Jesse didn't know that here, right now, he regretted their way of life.

---

"**_Andy worked long into the night, callin' in just about ev'ry favour he could think of an' a few more besides, while Sammy got a head start on writin' up the legal papers. An' it was just before lunch the followin' day that Andy got the answer he was lookin' for."_**

Andy watched Sammy's face break into a huge grin. "Say it again." She told him. "I can't believe it!"

"The governor just agreed an' so did the DA's office." He repeated dutifully.

She let out a cry and threw her arms around his neck. Then she let him go, with an embarrassed smile.

Andy cleared his throat and straightened up. "Now it ain't plain sailin', Sammy." He said. "My governor said the offer's only good for today. He's going outta State on family business an' those boys'll have their court date by the time he gets back. And the fella who'll be runnin' things while he's gone…well, he ain't got no respect for Jesse an' he ain't likely ta have none fer his word." He looked serious. "Office closes at five, sharp."

Sammy looked at her watch. "Well let's go!"

Andy snagged her waist to stop her, then cleared his throat and let go. "We just need to get some papers drawn up first."

"Already done." Sammy went to her desk and picked up a small collection of papers. She held them out to Andy.

Andy glanced through them then looked up. "Honey, I could kiss you!"

Sammy grinned. "Let me give Jesse the good news and it's a deal."

---

Bo was released from the hospital wing in the morning. He felt exhausted from the lack of sleep but the tiredness soon faded when he found Luke in the exercise yard. They laughed and talked together just like they had done every other day since they'd come to live with Jesse. There was an unspoken agreement not to let their troubles spoil the time they had.

After a while, they began shooting hoops with Ricky and another of other cons. The game was going well, Bo and Luke were up, and Ricky and his team mate were working them hard to hang on to their lead, when a large con bumped into Bo, sending him and the shot he was about to make, flying.

The large man grinned nastily down at Bo.

Luke came over and snagging his young cousin's hand, tugged him to his feet. He looked up at the huge man. "Wanna be more careful." Luke told him.

"Careful of what?" He asked, eyeing Luke up and down. "Little sprat like you?"

"Hey, Louis!" Ricky called. "We just havin' us a game."

The huge man looked over at Bo's cell mate. He jerked his head in Luke's direction. "Kid got Gator put in the bin." He told him.

Ricky didn't look bothered. "I heard."

"Didya hear it was Collins doin' the puttin'?"

Ricky's eyes flickered to Luke. It was obvious he hadn't.

"Weren't much left a Gator, last I saw."

Luke felt cold. "What do you mean?"

"Seems he had a little accident in solitary and now he ain't breathin' without help these days."

A small group of other cons were crowding round behind Louis, all murmuring anger at Gator's fate.

"**_Them boys is in one heap o' trouble."_**

"That ain't Luke's fault!" Bo cried.

Louis went to grab at the boy, but Luke's hand stopped him. Louis set on Luke, shoving him back so they both crashed to the ground. A roar went up from the other cons.

Ricky gripped Bo's arm and tried to pull him away.

Bo turned. "That's my cousin!"

"Guards'll see ta it."

But he shook off the hold and threw himself at one of men grappling with Luke. The other convict they had been shooting hoops with had waded in too, backing up the Dukes. Ricky tried to follow the fight, but he lost sight of both Bo and his cousin under the mounting tussle of prisoners.

His eyes caught a flash and he gasped when he realised what he had seen. A knife glinted in the sunlight.

Ricky yelled out, but his voice was lost in the noise.

Gun shots echoed through the air, the sound reverberating around the thick walled enclosure. There was clamouring and yelling as everyone immediately ducked and sat down, hands on their heads like they were taught. In the tussle, Bo felt someone thump against his shoulder blade. He'd lost sight of Luke and Ricky, but he didn't dare stand up to look for them.

Then the guards came over, yelling and swinging their batons, beating a few of the troublemakers and cuffing them.

When they felt order had been restored, they allowed sections of men to get up and walk back to their cells. Bo felt dizzy as he stood, his legs wobbled. Ricky caught and steadied him and when he turned to thank his cell mate, he saw Ricky staring at the arm he'd used to support Bo. It was slicked with bright red. Then his friends eyes came up to meet Bo's and he could see fear in them.

"Bo! You're bleeding!"

Bo looked down at himself, but couldn't see anything wrong.

Ricky began examining his shoulder and Bo remembered being punched there.

"BO!" He heard Luke cry. And then he was falling.

He didn't feel his body hit the ground.

------------------------------

Thanks for the reviews! My muse is now back with this story, after some gentle persuasion from the ASP that Mickey Webb leaves in my subconscious just for this purpose.


	12. Chapter 12

Thank you so much for all the reviews for the last chapter. I thought I better get a move on and not leave you all hanging.

**---12---**

Luke watched in horror as his cousin's legs crumpled from under him and he pitched forward in a dead faint. Ricky caught him before he hit the ground and Luke hurried over to help him lay Bo down, taking his cousin's weight from Ricky and cradling the boy against his chest. Bo lay limply in Luke's arms.

Luke noticed wet spots of blood appear on the front of Bo's shirt, like raindrops falling from the sky. _Drip…drip…drip… _Was it raining? Maybe that was why Luke's cheeks were wet.

"Someone get a medic!" Ricky screamed.

"Bo!" Luke called desperately. "Bo!"

The boy's lips moved as if he was trying to answer, but he didn't open his eyes. A red raindrop splashed onto Bo's cheek and rolled down his pale face like a crimson tear.

Two guards came over, yelling for medical help. One took Bo from Luke's arms and placed him down on the ground, checking his pulse and breathing before rolling him into the recovery position.

It seemed like an eternity before medical help came, but was in reality only a few minutes. Luke watched helpless before a guard pulled him away. People crowded around Bo, obscuring him from Luke's sight. He started forward but Ricky held him back.

"Let 'em do their job, Luke." He told him.

Luke pulled away, harder this time, trying to get back to his cousin, but a guard barred his way and stopped him with a hand on his shoulder.

"Sit down before ya fall down, son." He said and pressed Luke down. Luke buckled under the firm pressure and half fell to the floor. His head was hurting again and his thoughts seemed to be wrapped in thick cotton wool.

Ricky knelt down and shrugged out of his shirt. He pressed it to Luke's head. "You Dukes sure know how ta attract trouble."

---

"**_Now about the time ol' Andy was givin' the good news ta Sammy, his boss was puttin' the finishin' touches ta the deal. An' friends, I do mean finishin'."_**

The phone rang sharply, disturbing Boss from his huge pile of pickled hog trotters and fried chicken. He grabbed the receiver with a greasy hand and answered.

"Is this Commissioner Hogg?" A polite voice asked.

"Yeah, whatda ya want?"

"I have here the agreement from the DA's office concerning Beauregard and Lukas Duke and I just wanted to check a few details with you."

Boss frowned at the names. "Agreement?"

"I take it Ms Davies has informed you?"

"**_Ya'll see what I mean?"_**

"Er…why yes she has." Boss lied sweetly. Then his voice dropped. "What about it?"

"Well in order to grant the Dukes probation, I'd need to an official person such as yourself to act as their parole officer."

Boss was horrified. "Parole?" He choked out a large piece of hog gristle. "Ya wanna parole them law-breakin' Duke boys?"

"I assumed-"

"Well ya assumed wrong!" And he slammed down the phone and grabbed a drumstick. Anger always made him hungry.

He chewed while he thought and after a minute, tossed a way the bone and grabbing a hog trotter, he made for the door.

"Rosco!"

---

Luke watched as the medics bundled Bo away on a stretcher. Ricky stayed at his side, keeping pressure on the gash in Luke's forehead. His shirt was slowly turning from prison issue blues to brilliant scarlet.

"Where are they takin' him?" Luke demanded. "Is he OK?"

"They'll probably take him up to Tri-county. He's lost a lot of blood." Ricky told him. "Guess they might treat him here on the hospital wing if ain't deep."

But they both knew it had looked deep.

A medic came over and knelt down beside Luke. He took Luke's chin in his head and tilted his head back, inspecting the large cut which had at last stopped oozing blood.

"Ya better come too, son." He said. "That'll need stitching."

Luke got up. "I ain't leavin' Bo."

"Ain't got a choice." He told him. "That boy needs a proper hospital."

"He's my cousin. He's like my little brother." Luke pleaded. "I've gotta go with him."

"I'm sorry." The medic helped Luke to his feet. "But rules is rules."

---

"**_Sammy an' Andy broke a few speedin' laws on the way to the farm – bein' round the Dukes can do that ta a body – an' they arrived just as Jesse was dishin' up his famous crawdad bisk."_**

"How are ya, Andy?" Jesse said. "Ya just in time fer lunch."

Daisy immediately got two extra plates out of the cupboard. Jesse had made too much after years of cooking for four, and they'd been wondering what they would do with the leftovers.

"Now ya know I'm mighty fond of ya bisk, Jesse, but, um, I'm gonna have ta pass." Andy told him. "We ain't got the time."

Both he and Sammy exchanged looks and huge grins. They reminded Jesse of Bo and Luke when the boys had a secret they was itching to share.

"Well ya just better share whatcha ya'll are grinnin' at 'fore the wind changes." Jesse said.

"Do you remember what you told Daisy last night?" Sammy asked.

"I ain't that old," Jesse grumbled, but really hadn't any idea what she meant.

"Well we weren't eves-dropping, just…" And she trailed off, faintly embarrassed.

"We overheard ya, Jesse." Andy cut in.

"And so Andy called a few people and told them." Sammy continued. "They agreed, Jesse! That's really all the IRS office ever wanted, so they _agreed._"

Jesse was growing confused. "Well, ya best tell me what they agreed to."

"For you to stop making shine." Sammy told him. "Just like you said last night. TheATF thought throwing the book at Bo and Luke might be the only way to stop you, and I guess they were right." She took a breath. "Oh Jesse, they're prepared to let the boys be paroled, _if_ they plead guilty and _if_ you sign an agreement saying you won't make shine again."

Jesse looked at Andy.

"Its true, Jesse. Sign the papers an' we get my boss ta sign them, and the boys're free ta go."

Daisy threw her arms around Andy and Sammy.

"I can't believe it!" She cried and hugged them again. "Thank you!"

Jesse went to sit down at the kitchen table.

"Ma boys are comin' home?" His voice was rough.

Sammy knelt at his feet and looked up into his moist eyes.

"Yes, Jesse, the boys are coming home."

---

"**_Now ya'll know that things is never that simple in Hazzard_** **_County_** **_an' friends, this is a day fer complications."_**

Outside the farm, the sheriff's car pulled up and Rosco and Boss got out.

"Boss, are you sure you wanna do this?" Rosco asked, twisting his hat in his hands.

The commissioner stared up at the house, cigar in his mouth. "I ain't lettin' them no good Dukes skip justice."

----------------------------------------------------

Thanks to HazzardHusker and vinsmouse for the info on the ATF!


	13. Chapter 13

Sorry for the hold-up everyone. There was the school Easter holidays to contend with (my daughter's, not mine!) and then the muse was tickled by the Mickey Angst in recent eps of The Bill and so abandoned a cute tall blond for a cute small blond and finally my mum broke her foot so my time's been a bit limited writing-wise.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

**---13---**

Daisy and Jesse hurried out the farmhouse, quickly followed by Sammy and finally Andy, who was clutching the parole agreement to his chest like he feared a gust of wind was going to snatch them from his hands.

They all stopped sharp when they saw Boss standing with Rosco in front of the sheriff's car.

"Hi, Jesse." Boss said in that sweeter-than-sweet tone he sometimes used. "We just come a-visitin' seein' as how your kin is so far away."

"I ain't got time fer this, JD." Jesse yelled as he hurried past Boss towards Daisy's car.

Rosco stepped into his path. "I'm afraid I can't let ya go, Jesse."

---

Luke flinched as the doc dabbed at the gash in his head, cleaning around the stitches he'd just put in. The numbness was wearing off and the sharp sting of the antiseptic bit into the tender skin on Luke's head.

"Sorry." The doc said as he put down the antiseptic soaked cotton wool. "I'll get you some pain-killers."

He got out a bottle and shook out a couple of tablets which he handed over to Luke with a glass of water. Luke swallowed them. His stomach protested the cold liquid.

The doc looked over at the two guards hovering in the doorway. "Ya'll can take him back ta his cell now."

Luke got up. For a brief moment he thought the room was swaying before realising it was himself who was rocking.

The doc steadied him. "Get some rest, son."

Luke closed his eyes and waited out the dizziness. "What about Bo?" He asked softly.

The doc looked sympathetic. "I'll let ya know if I hear anythin'."

Luke was led back to his cell, half grateful for the guard's insistence on leading him with a hand on his arm.

At his cell, Luke lay down, or rather fell down, onto his bed. His head ached and his body felt ten times too heavy for his muscles to support. A faint nausea churned his stomach while desperate worry clawed in his chest.

_Bo…_

Five minutes. He promised himself. He'd give himself five minutes rest. Then he had a couple of things he needed to do.

The first was calling his uncle.

The other was to find the animal that had attacked his cousin and make him wish he'd never set eyes on either of the Duke boys.

---

Jesse looked from one to the other. "Ain't like you ta be keepin' bad company."

Rosco straightened up, his eyes serious. "He's ma brother-in-law, Jesse."

"Exactly." Boss nodded. "And he's the law! Arrest 'em!"

Rosco frowned. "Well, what for?"

"Fer aidin' an' abettin' the escape o' prisoners!"

"These papers' is legal, Boss." Andy said and as soon as the words were out of his mouth he realised the mistake he'd made.

Boss made a triumphant "ah-ha!" and lunged forward to snatch the papers from Andy.

He crowed with delight and held up Luke and Bo's freedom.

Daisy made a cry and both she and Sammy grabbed and jostled at Boss until Sammy managed to snatch the papers back. She scooted off with Boss at her heals, and just as the commissioner was about to seize them, threw the papers to Jesse.

Jesse tossed them to Andy who passed them over to Sammy again and all the while Boss ran about like a fat white little piggy in the middle.

Finally Jesse got the papers and made a run for it. He got to the _Traveller_ but since didn't have the keys to unlock the doors, he threw himself in the open window.

"**_Well who ya'll think taught Bo an' Luke how ta do that?"_**

It took Jesse two seconds to hotwire Luke's car before storming off in a cloud of dust. Daisy jumped and whooped as the car sped off for Atlanta.

Boss yelled in frustration. "Well git after him!"

Rosco shifted uncomfortably. "What for, Boss?"

Boss swiped him with his hat. "Speedin' ya numbskull! An' assaulting a government appointee, namely me!"

The sheriff made an "ooo!" noise and jumped before scrambling for his car. Boss only just managed to get into the passenger seat before Rosco took off in pursuit.

"He's gonna need some help." Daisy said, "c'mon ya'll."

---

"**_Daisy got on the Hazzard Net an' made sure everyone from Cooter ta Miss Teasdale gave ol' Jesse a clear run outta Hazzard an' ta get in Rosco's way as much as possible."_**

Cooter's truck stopped and ditched the Bruik it was towing. Cooter leant out of the window and waved at Joe Finch who was sitting in the towed car. He grinned good-naturedly, having heard Daisy's message. Then Cooter spun the truck round an sped off back in the direction he'd come.

"**_An' while Sammy an' Andy were tryin' ta head Rosco off in Andy's car, Rosco was callin' in the cavalry."_**

Enos dropped his sandwich with a cry of "possum on a gumbush!" before switching on the siren and starting up his patrol car.

"**_Er...that's cavalry Hazzard style."_**

---

The _Traveller_ bumped over the rough ground. Jesse glanced at his watch. It was coming up for two in the afternoon. That only gave him three hours to get into Atlanta. What with the city traffic and keeping out of the way of the law it was going to be tight.

He saw Enos up ahead coming towards them and cursed, but grinned as he saw Cooter's truck turn onto the road. Cooter stopped in Enos' way, barring the road and like two people in a doorway, went back and forth as Enos tried to steer around him.

And _Traveller_ sailed away.

---

Luke moaned as he woke, cursing his stupidity. He hadn't meant to fall asleep. He forced himself upright and was relieved that, at the very least, his unplanned nap had done him some good. He felt a little better for it.

Luke got to his feet, groaning at the stiffness in his body, but he didn't waver. His own pain would have to wait.

---

At the Hazzard border, Daisy took a right instead of a left and whispering a prayer that Bo had been right about the creek having dried up, flung her car onto Creekwater Road. If she could get across the creek instead of around it on the road, she would gain precious minutes on Rosco's car.

The creek bed, as promised, was cracked and dry and while she had to slow up over the silt, she knew she was now way ahead of the sheriff, and probably even ahead of Jesse.

Her yellow car finally bumped back onto the main road. She dodged around _Traveller_ as it sped towards her and slewed into the path of the sheriff's car that had been nipping at the old Ford's heels.

Rosco hit the brakes but still crashed into the side of Daisy's car.

Andy's car screeched to a stop behind Rosco, blocking them in.

The _Traveller_ was home free.

---

Luke listened to the phone ring endless at the house. He sighed. They were probably out in the fields. He put the phone down and dialled Cooter. And the same thing happened. He was just about to give in when the phone was answered.

"Cooter!"

"Hey, Luke, how ya doin' in there?" It was LB.

"Where's Cooter?"

"He's out helpin' ya folks."

Luke frowned. "What with? Did the tractor break down again?"

LB had heard what Daisy had said on the CB but he wasn't about to get Luke's hopes up. "I ain't sure. Reckon so." He said. "Anythin' I can help ya with?"

"LB, listen, I need ya ta get a message ta my uncle Jesse."

"Sure thing, Luke." LB said. "What is it?"

"It's Bo."

---

The three cars bumped and skid as one tried to get away and the other two tried just as hard to keep it there. When she judged enough time had passed, Daisy broke from Andy and headed after her uncle. Andy continued to block Rosco as she sped away but with only the one car, he and Sammy were soon watching Rosco and Boss burn rubber in pursuit.

"Do you think Jesse'll make it?" Sammy asked.

Andy reached over and squeezed her hand. "I know it."

---

Rosco stopped at the cross roads. The ground was covered in different tire tracks and none of them looked like Jesse's. "We lost 'em, Boss."

"No we ain't." The commissioner said. "We know where they's goin' don't we?"

---

"**_Going round all the roadblocks an' keepin' outta sight cost Jesse a lot a time an' it was comin' up ta five'o'clock when the Traveller finally pulled up outside of the ATF offices."_**

Jesse got out and ran up the steps.

He stopped at the door. Boss and Rosco were barring the way.

"**_Now this ain't the time fer ol' Rosco ta get smart."_**

**_----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------_**

****

Thanks to HazzardHusker and vinsmouse for the info on the ATF!


	14. Chapter 14

Sorry about the wait. Things are pretty hectic at the moment.

**---14---**

Daisy put down the CB and bit her lip. Her heart ached, heavy with fear at message LB had given her. The road ahead of her blurred and she blinked back the tears. Now wasn't the time to cry.

She stepped on the gas.

It was the time for speed.

---

"I can't let ya through, Jesse." Rosco said.

"This here is Atlanta." Jesse objected. "You ain't got no jurisdiction in Atlanta."

Rosco kneaded his hat, clearly uncomfortable with what Boss had asked him to do. "Even so, Jesse."

Jesse went to push past anyway, but both of them were solid as rocks.

Jesse flared up. "You got no right to interfere in my business and I demand you move outta my way this instant!"

"**_That's kinda like unstoppable force meetin' immovable object, ain't it?"_**

---

Luke leaned over the chess game, almost touching the shoulder of the player who was whites. Ricky stiffened, fingers on a pawn. His eyes flickered to his opponent, who was completely, _studiously_ oblivious to Luke's presence. Then he looked at Luke.

"Whatya want?"

"Who made the knife?" His voice was harsh.

"Look, Luke-"

"The knife?" He hissed. "Who made it? Or who smuggled in it here?"

Ricky turned in the chair. "Luke, I like ya. I like ya cousin, too, but that ain't a-"

His words were suddenly bitten off as Luke grabbed him by the collar and hauled him up onto his feet. The pawn slipped from his fingers, knocking other pieces asunder. Despite this, Ricky's opponent didn't ever twitch.

"WHO WAS IT?"

Ricky twisted. "I don't know."

Luke shook him. "That ain't good enough."

"You know I can't tell ya!"

Luke's grip relaxed, just a fraction. That was true of course. The penalties for grassing in here were swift and brutal. "Then who can?" He demanded.

No answer.

Luke backed him against the wall. His chest made of whump sound as the air was driven from his lungs. But Ricky just shook his head.

Luke sighed but didn't back off. He tried another way. "Who do I see if I want a knife?"

"Luke-"

Luke tightened his grip.

Ricky's opponent wandered over, looking Luke up and down. His stance told Luke he had no desire to rescue Ricky or interfere in any way.

"You want a knife, boy?"

Ricky's eyes widened. "Griff," he began.

Griff smiled at Luke. "Step into my parlour, kid." He gestured at the door. "And we'll talk some terms."

---

"JD, you and I both know them two boys don't belong in no city jail!"

"They been trouble since the day they was born!" Boss snapped. "Jail might teach 'em some respect for the law."

"Respect!" Jesse spat out. "How in tarnation is anyone supposed ta have respect fer the law when the likes o' you two is runnin' it!"

A squeal of brakes drowned out Boss' response and they all turned to see Daisy's yellow car slew to a halt. She didn't bother parking, simply flung open the door and ran over.

"Uncle Jesse!" She cried out and suddenly all the tears she'd held back came choking out.

Jesse hurried down the steps to her and hushed her, trying to make sense of the words in between her sobs.

"It's Bo!" She wept. He's been taken to Tri-county."

Fear clutched Jesse's heart. "Is he alright?"

She shook her head. "I don't know. T-There was a fight…Oh Uncle Jesse, he was stabbed."

---

"**_Pretty much ev'ry prison has someone who can lay their hands on just bout everythin' from tyre irons to curlin' irons…but fer a price. In the City of Altanta, that someone is Griff, an' he's got more debtors owin' than a whole bushels of Hoggs."_**

Griff stared at Luke, lips twisted, brows drawn down.

"Ain't got nothin' I want, Duke."

"Maybe not now."

"Farmboy ain't ya? So maybe not ever." He smiled. "Sides, I got me enough markers in here."

"Ain't gonna be in here forever." Luke told him. "They ain't gonna owe you nothin' out there. But I'm a Duke, so a debt's a debt, in or out."

Griff chuckled. "You're just askin' fer trouble, ya know that."

Luke shook his head. "Just followin' it through. One lookin' fer trouble is the one who went after my kin."

Griff came up close to Luke, stood toe to toe, eye to eye. Luke didn't flinch, just met the stare with one of his own.

Then he broke into a smile.

"Louis." He said and began walking away. "Louis Canner."

Luke's face changed into a hard mask.

"**_I have a baaaad feeling about this."_**


	15. Chapter 15

**---15---**

"**_Now ya'll have prob'ly been a-frettin' an' a-worryin' about ol' Bo, well he's pretty poorly right about now, but he's a Duke an' if there's one thin' I've learned, its never underestimate a Duke."_**

The nurse checked slow drip of blood into Bo's veins and then his pulse, which was still rapid but starting to even out. His breathing seemed calmer now, not so gasping. It was a good sign.

She smiled down at the sleeping boy. His face was almost as white as the sheets on which he lay, but given time, the transfusion would help with that. He was one very lucky kid.

_Con, _she silently corrected herself, _not kid_.

He hardly seemed old enough to be in jail.

With a sigh, she touched his pale cheek and found it cooler than she'd like so she gently tucked more of the blanket around him, taking care not to dislodge the oxygen tube under his nose. He murmured softly, reacting to the touch, but he didn't waken.

---

Jesse held Daisy to him as she sobbed. "Is he hurt bad?"

She looked up at her uncle, but couldn't say the words. She nodded.

"I'm sorry, Jesse." Rosco said sincerely.

Jesse nodded. "I know ya are."

"We have to go!" Daisy pleaded. "Bo could be-" The words choked off and then she whispered. "He needs us, Uncle Jesse."

Jesse looked at the papers he held and then at the door to the ATF offices and finally down at Daisy.

"I'll take 'em up for ya, Jesse." Rosco held out his hand. "There's still time ta get 'em signed. You…go be with ya kin."

"Rosco!" Boss protested.

"Bo's hurt cos he was in that prison, Boss." Rosco told him. "He don't belong there. Ya know that."

The commissioner frowned; chubby face screwed up in frustration but there wasn't any heart in it. And he made no move to stop Rosco as Jesse handed the papers over to him.

Then Boss and Jesse watched as the sheriff disappeared through the doors of the ATF.

"Jesse, I…" Boss began. "Ya know I never meant fer…"

Jesse nodded. "I know." He turned to leave.

"Rosco'll let ya know when they're signed, Jesse." Boss told him.

Jesse stopped. "I'd appreciate that, JD."

---

"**_So while Jesse an' Daisy were burnin' rubber ta get ta Tri-County, an' even as the ink was a-dryin' on the parole papers, Luke was pickin' over his prison slops an' thinkin' about his cousin an' about the long stretch they had ahead o' them. An' how he ain't got much ta lose. Now how's that fer irony?"_**

Luke pushed his supper around his plate but this time it wasn't the un-appetising look of the prison food that was putting him off, but the fear in his belly for Bo. The prison officers had given him little information, just that Bo was out of surgery and that he was critical, but stable. He hoped that his message had got to Jesse and that they were with him.

Luke looked up. On the other side of the food hall, Louis Canner, the man Griff had told him had bartered for a knife and used it on Bo, sat with a couple of other cons, laughing.

Luke's stomach clenched.

"**_I sure don't like the look on ol' Luke's face."_**

---

"**_Now ya'll prob'by woulda bet ya last dollar that there ain't nothin' a lawman had ta say to the Dukes that'll make them cheer like it was the 4th of July. Well ya'll hear that?"_**

Daisy grinned and laughed as Jesse hung up the CB. He gave her a grin and a chuckle of his own.

"**_That there is the sound of freedom. Bo an' Luke's freedom."_**

It didn't take long after Rosco had given them the good news to arrive at the hospital, almost as if, with the weight of their kin's future on them now lifted, the car could go faster.

The doctor's face was grave as he showed them both into Bo's room. "He's heavily sedated at the moment," he explained, "but you're welcome to sit with him."

Daisy gasped when she saw how pale her cousin looked.

"He's lost a lot of blood," the doctor told them, "which we're concerned about, but he's responding well to the transfusions. Fortunately the knife hit his shoulder blade, and didn't penetrate the bone, but there was some muscle damage which will take a while to heal."

Jesse took his nephews hand in his own. "He's so cold."

"That's common with blood loss." The doctor assured him with a smile. "We're keeping a close eye on his temperature, don't worry."

"All respect ta ya, doc, but the day I quit worryin' about ma boys, is the day the good Lord calls me home."

Daisy looked up. "Does he know we're here?"

"Talk to him. It'll help." He told her, avoiding the question.

"But…he'll be OK, won't he?" She asked.

"He's a strong, healthy young man." He assured her.

Jesse looked up. He knew that wasn't an answer.

---

The showers were starting to empty as the cons filed back to their cells for the night lock-in. Luke stood in the doorway, watching one of the last men still at the sinks. It was Louis.

Another con glanced Luke's way and then at Louis before shuttling out of the block, head down. The last con followed, leaving only Louis.

Luke's feet made no noise as he crossed to the sinks.

Louis caught Luke's reflection in the mirror but before he could do more than gasp, Luke had his arm around the man's throat.

_**Thanks for all the reviews and encouragement!**_


	16. Chapter 16

**---16---**

Louis struggled against the grip holding him down, spitting threats amid a torrent of foul language. Luke ignored him, pushing him face down against the sinks so hard that the man gagged as the metal sink ground against his ribs. He moaned in pain.

"Do it an' ya dead." He hissed.

Just a little more force would break them.

Just a little more…

As if sensing his assailant was hesitant, Louis chuckled. "You ain't got the guts, Duke." He snarled.

Luke's grip tightened, but he didn't push down any more. He could hear his own heart clattering in his chest.

"Coward!"

Luke knew he was being goaded, but he couldn't stop the building anger at that word. He started to push down.

Louis began to choke.

---

Jesse looked up as the door of Bo's room opened and the doctor walked in. He nodded once to Jesse, then turned his attention to the boy in the bed. He hooked his stethoscope to his ears and listened to Bo's heartbeat and breathing.

Jesse stirred. "Daisy, honey, could ya get me glass of something?" He asked.

Daisy glanced at the doctor, and her face fell. But if she knew it was just a ruse to get her out of earshot, she didn't say. She let go of Bo's hand and got to her feet. "Sure."

Jesse waited until she was gone before looking up at the doctor with a grimmer face than he's shown his niece.

"If I ask ya something, will I get a straight answer? None o' ya fancy medical talk?"

"Of course."

Jesse's hand tightened in Bo's thatch of blond hair. "Is he gonna be alright, doc?"

The doctor drew a breath and unhooked his stethoscope from his ears. "Yes, sir, he is."

---

The con gasped, trying to get a breath. He shoved back against Luke, but it was a weaker struggle than before and Luke held him firm. It was almost fascinating to see the tinge of blue start to colour Louis's lips.

One more shove and his ribs would buckle under the strain.

"LUKE!"

Luke didn't flinch or look round. He knew the voice.

It was Ricky.

"Get out." Luke told him evenly.

"No."

"Get out." He repeated.

"Luke, ya can't do this."

"I said get out!" Anger crept into his voice.

"Can't let ya do this."

"Just walk away." Luke sounded so reasonable. "It's whatcha best at, ain't it?"

"Yeah." The man agreed. "That's me. An' this…this ain't you."

"He stabbed Bo."

"So?"

Luke twisted around and the movement caused Louis to cry out in pain as he was pushed harder into the metal. "SO! Bo could die!"

"An' I'm sorry about that." Ricky said, "an' I reckon so is Louis right about now, so ya made ya point." He paused. "Ain't he, Louis?"

The man just glared hatefully up at Luke.

"Ain't he?" Ricky insisted.

Louis gave a nod.

Luke didn't move.

Ricky sighed. "Ya think this is what Bo would want? You killin' someone?"

Luke felt a cold chill run through him and his grip loosened just a little. "I ain't gonna kill him." He said quietly.

"**_That there is pride. An' it ain't a deadly sin without a good reason."_**

"No?"

Luke caught his reflection in the mirror again, his own face twisted with hate, holding down a choking man. He almost didn't recognise the man staring back at him.

Only… that wasn't quite true. He'd been a solider once. And when he'd returned to the farm, he had thought…_hoped_…he would never see Sergeant Duke again.

And yet here he was.

Ricky came into view in the mirror. He stopped just behind Luke, waiting.

"No." Luke answered. "No I ain't." And he let go of Louis, who collapsed to the floor coughing and gasping for breath.

Ricky hauled him to his feet. "Ya better forget this, ya hear?" He told the gasping man. "Or maybe that knife ya used might just turn up come inspection."

Louis wobbled on his feet but Ricky gave him a shove towards to the door and he stumbled out.

Luke watched him go. "Thanks."

Ricky shrugged. "Ya wouldn'ta hurt him."

Luke glanced at his own reflection. He wished he could believe that.

"Ya wouldn't." Ricky's lips twisted and let out a half chuckle. "Guards woulda stopped ya."

Luke leant over the sinks and closed his eyes. He realised he was shaking.

"They're lookin' for ya, Luke. Be here in a minute. I come ta get ya. I guess…I guess it's about ya cousin."

Luke's head snapped up.

---

Daisy stroked Bo's forehead. There was more colour in the boy's cheeks now and the drip had been changed from blood to saline. She thought his breathing seemed more even too, more like sleep and less like a drugged stupor.

"I wish he'd wake up, Uncle Jesse." She murmured.

---

The head warder's office was surprisingly comfortable and welcoming, at odds with its surroundings. It looked like any chairman's office in the big city, an island of normality in the middle of the prison.

The warder wore a hardened expression no city chairman would have though and his eyes pieced Luke the moment he was escorted into the office.

But it wasn't the man behind the desk that drew Luke's attention; it was the two people sitting in the chairs in front of it. Two very familiar faces.

"Hello, Luke," said Sammy and Andy Roach grinned.

---

"**_Now it weren't that Luke was ungrateful fer everythin' that Sammy an' Andy had done, but he was one worried Duke so the ride over ta Tri-county was pretty solemn. Freedom ain't nothin' without ya family, an' Luke was just achin' ta see his…"_**

Sammy and Andy took Luke into the hospital and then they stood back to watch as Jesse and Daisy drew him into their arms. Andy smiled. There were times when he loved his job.

Sammy laid her head against Andy's shoulders and it felt like the most natural thing in the world to put his arm around her, to hold her to him as they witnessed the Duke's joy at having Luke back with them. She smiled up at him, a faint blush colouring her cheeks.

Then Daisy came over to hug them and kiss their cheeks and Jesse took his hand to shake. He quickly waved down their thanks, embarrassed.

And in the midst, Luke quietly slipped into the room where Bo lay sleeping.

Luke stood in the doorway, staring at his cousin. Bo lay pale and still in the bed.

He went over to him and took his hand.

"Bo?" he whispered.

The boy's eyes flickered and opened.

"Hey." Luke greeted.

A smile crept across Bo's face. "Luke?"

"It's me, cousin."

There was laughter behind him and Luke turned to see Jesse, Daisy and Andy standing in the doorway, smiling.

Bo's eyes flickered to them.

"Ya gonna tell him Luke or shall we draw lots?" Andy said.

Luke laughed and all of a sudden it felt real. This was happening. It was over. They were going home.

"Tell me what?" Bo frowned.

"We're free." He burst out. "We're free, Bo."

----------------------------------------------------

To be concluded…


	17. Epilogue and Coda

**---Epilogue---**

Boss listened while the phone rung, waiting for the person on the other end to pick up.

"Autie?" He said when the call was answered. "It's JD here. It's about them overheads… I got me an idea how ta cut the budget fer the sheriff's department without puttin' them poor, poor folks outta their employment."

He nodded through the reply.

"Well, I been lookin' through them books…I been awful concerned about the possibility of cuts, ya know my first concern is the welfare an' the safety of the citizens o' Hazzard…"

"**_An' if ya'll believe that, I got me some Spaghetti trees ya might be interested in purchasin'…"_**

"… ya know, them pension payments made by the department, well, they's mighty steep an' it ain't like it's a necessity fer runnin' the law."

"**_Uh-huh. Ya'll gettin' it now? See Boss got to kinda like having ol' Rosco under his thumb an' he figured he'd give him the push he needed. An' we all know he went plum over the cliff, now don't we?" _**

"Ya can shave a whole bundle off the top an' ya won't have ta loose a single deputy."

"**_That man is lower than a snake's belly."_**

"Uh-huh, yeah, I thought ya might…" He nodded. "No, pleasure's all mine, Autie. Be seein' ya now."

---

It was a clear day when the _Traveller_ rolled up outside of the Tri-County hospital. Bo refused to be wheeled out in a chair, wanting to enjoy the walk in the sunshine after being cooped up in both the jail and the hospital.

He walked stiffly, with his left arm in a sling to immobilise his bandaged shoulder, towards the _Traveller_, heading for the driver's side.

"Hey, even if ya didn't have stitches," Luke said, "my car, I drive."

Bo laughed at the force of habit. "Just aimin' ta get some practice in, cousin." Bo told him airily. "I been stuck in there so long, I might have plum forgot how ta drive a car."

"On that day," Luke laughed, "Hell woulda frozen over."

"You boys watch your language." Jesse scolded, but there was only a smile in his voice. This wasn't the day for bad feelings.

Luke slid behind the wheel. "Besides, time ya go your own set of wheels, cous."

Bo flashed him a grin as he settled in the passenger seat. "Read this book in the prison."

"Well there's a first."

Bo ignored the jibe. "About NASCAR design, I mean." He explained as the car pulled away. "How'd ya feel about building our own?"

"**_An' we all know how that turns out, huh?_**

_**An' as fer everyone else, well, Sammy an' Andy got married an' after a few years, they moved ta Vermount where they was hearin' the pitter-patter of tiny revenuer feet. An' as fer Ricky, he got paroled not long after the Dukes an' went back ta school, where he graduated with honours an' now he writes books in upstate New York - about moonshiners an' revenuers. He an' Bo still keep in touch."**_

**---Coda---**

Jesse Duke woke before the cockerel crowed and wandered the old house. Every corner of the old farmhouse, every creaky floorboard held memories for him. The worn spot on the easy chair was where Lavinia would sew, her nimble fingers creating pretty dresses for Daisy and turning up Luke's old jeans to fit Bo. The hearth rug was where Luke had taken his first steps, falling into his fathers arms with huge grin on his face. The table still bore the dent from Bo's head.

Jesse remembered all these as he walked the darkened rooms. The house was so quiet, so bereft of life.

With a heavy heart, Jesse went to the sink and opened the cupboard underneath. He took out a bottle of clear liquid and held it up.

Jesse unscrewed the shine and tipped the bottle upside-down over the sink. The drink glugged and sloshed down the drain.

Jesse put down the empty bottle and sat down at the kitchen table. He sighed.

It was over.

There was a commotion behind him, a clatter of feet and laughter as the bedroom doors opened and in a noisy group, Bo, Luke and Daisy came out, still dressed in their pyjamas.

"Whatcha doing, Uncle Jesse?" Daisy asked and slapped Bo's hands away when she saw him fiddling with his sling.

"Just gettin' rid o' the last o' the shine."

"Seems an awful shame to just pour it away like that." Bo said.

"I keep ma word."

"We should have a party." Luke decided. "Welcome home sorta party."

"That'd get rid of the shine, Uncle Jesse." Bo added.

Jesse bustled to his feet and began swiping at his kids. "That's vice. I ain't encouragin' vice. Now ya'll just git!"

Bo and Luke dodged back, laughing and the moment seemed to crystallise.

"**_So that's the legend of how the Duke family quit the moonshine business. Ya'll come back now, ya here?"_**

**- - - The End - - -**

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Thanks for all the reviews and comments. They really kept me going when the Muse was being a pain and dragging me off to do other things.

PS I haven't forgotten Hogg and Son!


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